Beverly Iva DeLeon

Beverly Iva De Leon nee, Mc Dermott was born on September 16,1934 in Kingston, Jamaica, to parents, Leonard McDermott and Olive Mapp McDermott.

Beverly attended Merl Grove High School. After graduating from Merl Grove, she attended the Ashford Nursing School in London, graduating as a Registered Nurse. She returned to Kingston after completing her studies and worked at the Nuttall Hospital maintaining friendships made in nursing school and at Nuttall for life.

She met and then married Roy Emmanuel De Leon on December 15, 1962. Together they had two children: Kirk and Neil.

Family life was central to Beverly’s life and her home was always filled with friends and family. Stewed Peas on Saturdays, and 4 p.m. family dinner on Sundays that continued for almost 60 years - every Sunday without fail. Long weekends and north coast vacations with family on the island, and trips to New York and Miami to visit family that had moved to the US were routine. Roy was a good provider but it was Beverly that charted the family’s course.

In 1978 that path took the family to Miami. Beverly left her comfortable life behind and went back to work as an R.N. She worked at Jackson Memorial Hospital for 20 or more years until retirement. A year after she arrived in Miami, the family followed. She and Roy began anew in a new country to ensure that the children were safe and had all possible opportunities. By the time Roy and Beverly retired both boys were lawyers and established. She, through the force of her will and actions created and brought into reality the life and results she knew she wanted for herself and for her family. She was the Merl Grove motto: Labor Omnia Vincit (Hard Work Overcomes All Difficulties) personified.

A lifelong Anglican, she was always active in her church. From Half Way Tree Parish Church where her parents were pillars of that community; to Saint Mary’s Church in early married life; to Church of the Transfiguration where the boys first became altar boys, all in Kingston; then in Miami to Holy Family where the boys continued the altar boy tradition; and upon moving to Broward, beginning her fellowship at Holy Sacrament. She loved Holy Sacrament and the people of the Holy Sacrament community. From being an ECW member, long before Holy Sacrament, to counting collection and volunteering at the church Thrift Shop, Beverly could be relied upon to always be of support to the church community, and that love and support was returned to her by the Holy Sacrament family literally to the very end of her life.

Beverly and Roy loved to travel, and planned to spend their retirement doing more of just that. Sadly, Roy passed in 1998 soon after she retired but the love of travel did not. Travel became the salve for her after Roy died, and her retirement years were filled with wonderful trips and excursions marking things and places off her bucket list, always in the company of friends. Beverly was not a stay-put kind of girl, always saying yes to any adventure - so long as the accommodations were top notch, until covid and failing knees clipped her wings.

Beverly is survived by her two sons Kirk and Neil and his wife Evian and her grandson James and also by her brother Basil Mc Dermott and his wife Jeanette, and her nephew Basil Junior, nieces, cousins, extended family and beloved friends.

Beverly was clear that she did not want a funeral focused on sadness and loss. In her honor and in respect for her wishes a Service of Thanksgiving for her life followed by a repast and Celebration of a Happy Life will be held beginning at 11:00am on Saturday May 17, 2025, at:

Holy Sacrament Episcopal Church, 2801 N. University Drive, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024.

The live stream of the service may be viewed at:

https://youtube.com/live/ZtAw8ZQdigs?feature=share

Our sincere appreciation goes to Beverly’s neighborhood-family, and the special friends and acquaintances, and her care-givers for their care and support during the very difficult past three years. Your love, concern and kindness sustained her and the family and will always be remembered.

In lieu of flowers contributions in her name may be made to: Holy Sacrament Capital Campaign. Please send checks to: Holy Sacrament Episcopal Church 2801 N. University Drive, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024 or envelopes will be provided at the service.