Obituary: Beverly Jean Cope Little

Beverly Jean Cope Little, formerly of Newport, TN passed away September 24, 2024 after an extended
illness in her home in Manchester, TN. Born March 7, 1933 in Ashville, N.C., she was the daughter of the
late John Osborne and Maudella McMahan Cope and sister to her late siblings Jack, Don, Bill, Y.J. and
Betty Rose Cope. She was preceded in death by her husband’s parents the late Rankin Reeves and
Beatrice Little, Sr., by her beloved daughter, Jerilyn Little Garner, brother in law Jimmy Little and
nephews John and Paul Cope.

A graduate of Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, TN, she worked as a staff member of Ridgecrest
Baptist Assembly for two summers while a student in college. After moving to Manchester, TN, Beverly
joined First Baptist Church where she was a member for over 60 years and was instrumental in
beginning the church library.

Early in her career with the Tennessee Department of Human Services, Beverly served as a social worker
in the counties of Cocke, Roane, Corter and Coffee. While her husband, Rankin, was a U.S Army officer
stationed at Fort Mead, MD, she was employed as a medical social worker at Prince George Hospital.
While raising three daughters in Manchester, Beverly was very involved in her children’s lives. In
addition to taking them to all their many extracurricular school and church activities, during the spring
and summer months she spent many hours at the softball fields watching her girls play ball. She was also
a member of the Parent and Teachers Association (PTA), was Homeroom Mother consistently during
their school years and volunteered to chaperone many school trips. She greatly enjoyed chaperoning
the Westwood Jr. High Singers Select Chorus on their many trips for competitions, especially to
Washington, even after daughter Cindy had graduated on to high school.

Beverly volunteered with the Girl Scouts as well. She was camp director one summer at Camp Tannassie
and was later appointed to serve on the Cumberland Valley Girl Scout Council’s Program Committee for
several years.

A member of the Green Thumb Garden Club, Beverly helped plan conservation camps and
environmental workshops on the state level. She was also a member of the Arnold Engineering
Development Center (A.E.D.C.) Woman’s Club, the Coffee County Hospital Auxiliary and the Coffee
County United Giver’s Fund.

Beverly was very active in the mental health field with special interest in lobbying both state and
nationally, for mental health funding. She served in multiple leadership positions for the Coffee County
Mental Health Association, the Mental Health Association of Tennessee, the Multi County Mental Health
Center Board, and the Centerstone Board. While with Centerstone, she advocated for a program for
veterans to receive counseling upon returning stateside from their tours of service.

Her lengthy Tennessee family heritage was a source of great pride for her. She belonged to the
Daughters of the American Revolution of Cocke County and was a member of the First Families of
Tennessee through the Morris, McMahan, Susong, Stokely, Huff and McJunkin lineages. Beverly had a
deep love for her East Tennessee Smoky Mountains as well as Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, TN where
in later years she and Rankin built a family cabin looking over the lake.

Beverly enjoyed playing tennis and did so very well in her younger years, a passion passed down to her
from her father of whom the Newport Tennis Courts are named. She was also an excellent swimmer and
at one time was a Water Safety Instructor for the Manchester City Recreation Department. Her love for
watching the University of Tennessee Volunteers play football inspired her and Rankin for many years to
travel to games both home and away, including Bowl games.

Photography was also a passion of Beverly’s and she always had her camera with her to catch any
special moment that would unexpectedly arise. She was rather good at capturing the perfect picture as
evident by her many Coffee County Fair ribbons. During her early school years, Beverly began
scrapbooking favorite pictures, cards from loved ones, newspaper articles, event programs and
memorabilia, anything she valued and wanted to keep for lasting memories. She has over 200
scrapbooks filled with memories that she and her family treasure.

Avid bridge players, Beverly and Rankin participated in bridge clubs with some of their dearest friends
for over 50 years. After Rankin’s retirement from A.E.D.C, they begin traveling the world. They also had
great joy in taking each of their grandchildren on a special trip to the countries of their grandchildren’s
choosing.

Beverly had a zest for living. Whether passionately cheering her UT Vols, traveling the world with
family, playing competitive bridge with long time, close friends or being a voice and advocate for others
in need, she gave her best. But most of all, her family was her greatest love and meant everything to
her. Beverly was devoted to them and their wellbeing and was always there for them. She will be
remembered not only for her accomplishments, but also for her kind and gentle heart and her love and
devotion to her family.

Beverly is survived by her loving husband of 67 years, Rankin R. Little, Jr., daughters Rebekah (David)
Hurst, Cindy (Georges) Brandan, son in law Greg Garner; brother-in-law Jerry (Martha) Little, sister in
laws Rita Cope Messer and Alza Cope; grandchildren Michael Garner, Crislyn (Amon) Neff, Allison (Chris)
Wilkinson, Katelyn (Trevor) Dalbey, Georges (Jaedine) Brandan, Alex (Austin) Conner; great-
grandchildren Brayden, Asher, Xander, and Gracelyn Neff, Reeves Garner, Jesse and Joy Wilkinson,
Audrey, Teddy and Charlie Dalbey, Georges and Giovoni Brandan, and Jay and Baby Conner; and
numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family has great appreciation for the caregivers that have helped them and been caring companions
to Beverly these last few years and are thankful for Linda Hollis, Beverly’s first caregiver, Compassionate
Home Care and Compassus Hospice Care.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Central Funeral Home in Manchester, TN Tuesday, October 1, 2024
with visitation with the family from 11am until noon (CST) and the service immediately following. The
burial will be Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 1:30p.m. (EST) at Union Cemetery in Newport, TN.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made to Centerstone via
https://centerstone.org/give/ or mail donations to Centerstone, P.O. Box 197608, Nashville, TN, 37219-
7608 or to the First Baptist Church, Manchester Benevolence Fund.