Beverly Ann Dawson Brown was born on February 28, 1957, in Washington, NC, to the late Jeanie Dawson Jones and Clayton Dixon.

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Beverly was always curious and loved to learn and to be in charge of things. Beverly was educated in the Craven County Public Schools and graduated from West Craven High School, Class of 1975. Beverly was an avid athlete, she was so proud that she had been on the basketball team, as her father and paternal grandmother had been before her. After high school, she furthered her education at Lenior Community College where she received an associate degree later, she obtained a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Business Administration from Athens State University in Alabama, where she resided for many years.

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A detailed oriented person, Beverly worked for The Telephone Company in New Bern, North Carolina, before joining the National Guard in May 1979 as an Administrative Specialist, with her sister, Stephanie, as part of the buddy program. She later went on active Duty and was stationed in Germany for three years before departing active duty and joining the Army reserves. Beverly cherished her military service. With her combined military service, Beverly rose through the ranks in administration and later Quartermaster, becoming a Master Sargent (MSG) and Acting First Sargeant, amongst many other roles. She had many military awards including the Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Marksman badge (rifle -m16A1), and third-class badge (hand grenade), Global war on Terrorism Service Medal, in addition to others.

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Upon departing Active Duty, she moved to Alabama as a Federal employee, holding numerous positions of increasing responsibility before joining the Department of Defense, as a civilian employee while simultaneously being a loving stepmom to Nicholas Kelly during his formative years. Later, Beverly had several deployments overseas to military combat zones as a civilian, including Iraq/Kuwait, Kosovo, and Afghanistan, where she oversaw military contractors as part of the Army Materiel Command. Upon leaving Alabama, Beverly relocated to Hope Mills, N.C. in 2001where she worked in Fayetteville, N.C. until her retirement from federal service.

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In 2007, she married Melvin Ray Brown, Sr., and enjoyed a further extended family. Beverly chose to remain in North Carolina so that she could give care to her mother the late Jeanie Jones and late aunt Wilhelmina “Sister Baby” Dixon.

Beverly was adventurous and traveled throughout Europe (Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Greece) when she was stationed abroad, additionally she traveled to Korea, Egypt, Alaska, and the Bahamas, amongst many other places. Beverly was always a classy dresser and was often seen in colorful and unique outfits from her favorite specialty boutique shops, or for more somber occasions a black dress or suit with pearls. Yes, she was a true diva in many ways, and she loved the saying that “shoes speak louder than words” and sported many fancy but comfortable shoes. Beverly also believed that “actions speak louder than words” and that the key to action was to “Jump Jump.”

A born leader, she always did things her way, often telling people. “You do you because I am going to do me.” “This is not my first rodeo” or “I’m an old Soldier.”

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Beverly accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at a young age at Queen Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Vanceboro, NC. While in Hope Mills, she was always at her local church, serving as usher, and traveling with them to see Joyce Meyers and TD Jakes among others, often playing her favorite spiritual music while driving. Upon relocating to Greenville, N.C., where she lived with sister Stephanie, she began to regularly attend Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church.

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On Saturday, July 29, 2023, God lifted Beverly Ann Dawson Brown from this world of sin, sorrow, and pain to a place of peace and sweet eternal rest. Her seeds are well-sown; her serviceon earth is complete, and she is now resting in the arms of the Lord. She has now been reunited with her father, Clayton Dixon, mother, Jeanie Dawson Jones, two brothers, Gary Dixon, and Darryl Dixon.

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Precious memories will forever linger in the hearts of her husband Melvin Ray Brown of Grifton, stepfather Moses Jones of Vanceboro, NC; two brothers Jerome Dawson (Marcia) of Washington, N.C., and Tony Dawson (LaVerne) of Richmond VA; three sisters Mosella Lawanda Worthy (Timmy) of Vanceboro, NC, and Barbette Dixon of Chester, VA, adopted sister, Stephanie Dawson of the home; three step-sons, Nicholas Kelly of Huntsville Alabama, Melvin Brown, Jr, of Greenville, NC, Courtney Brown of SanDiego CA, Frankie Pollock of Greenville, NC, two step grandsons, and two step-granddaughters, brothers- in- law Ira Brown, Jr. of Hopkins, SC, Donnie Brown of Winterville, NC; sisters-in law Patricia Ann Brown of Greenville, NC, Deborah Phillips of Ayden, NC, Ernestine Pierce (Sammel) of Ayden, N.C and Jacqueline Artist (Kenneth) of Winterville, NC; uncles, Troy Dawson of Grifton N.C., Michael Dixon (Yolanda) of Toledo OH, Carl Dixon (Dawn) of Lancaster CA, Jasper Newborn of Kinston N.C., Tommy Newborn (Janice) of Huntsville, AL; Aunts Darlene Dawson, of Orland Florida, Fannie Quinn of Toledo, OH and Lillian Durr of Jacksonville, NC. , as well as a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

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