A native of Homer, Louisiana, and a resident of Baton Rouge, Beverly Jean Tinsley Elkins died on January 19, 2021. Beverly, who was born on August 7, 1928, was a retired teacher. She graduated from Homer High School and received her BS degree from LSU. Beverly did post graduate studies in chemistry and physics at University at Louisiana Monroe and received her master’s degree at University of West Florida.
Married for sixty-two years to her late husband Joel C. “Joe” Elkins, a chemical engineer with Exxon, Beverly and Joe lived in several different cities. In Stamps, Arkansas, Beverly taught nursery school, and the following year was a nutritionist for the Arkansas State Board of Health, developing recipes for the commodity foods that preceded Food Stamps, and teaching cooking skills to young women. In Winnsboro, Louisiana, she was the school librarian at Winnsboro High School, and the following year, she taught science at Fort Necessity School. In Franklin, Louisiana, Beverly taught chemistry and physics at both Franklin High School and Hanson Memorial High School. In Milton, Florida, she finished her teaching career, teaching the sciences at Milton High School.
Upon retirement, Joe and Beverly moved to Baton Rouge. Joe restored antique cars, and Beverly returned to her love of painting. Beverly also enjoyed following her investments in the stock market, and she had a keen interest in politics.
Having grown up on a farm in Claiborne Parish, Beverly was a fantastic country cook, who grew her own tomatoes. And, as a child of the Depression, she learned to make do. Beverly turned a school-teacher’s salary into a retirement investment fund. Beverly and Joe spent their summers at the farm in Claiborne Parish where Beverly grew up. Frequent guests were the grandchildren, and Beverly used the time to teach them the life skills and wisdom she learned over her lifetime.
Beverly was preceded in death by her parents Thomas Clayton and Blanche Worley Tinsley, sisters Verna Tinsley Crow, and Doris Tinsley, brother Gaynell Tinsley, nephew Frasier “Bobby” Crow (Virginia), and grandson Andrew Elkins. Beverly is survived by her sons Gary (Kate) and Randy, and her grandchildren Kathryn McLeod (Matthew), Nicholas Elkins (Keli), Elizabeth Newcomer (Michael), and Geoffrey Elkins (Caitlyn), and twelve great-grandchildren: Sophia, Rowan, Callum, Liam, and Graham McLeod; Brett, Foster, and Whitney Elkins; Finn and Miles Elkins; and Valentine and Romeo Newcomer.
Visitation at Greenoaks Funeral Home in Baton Rouge will be Sunday, January 24 at noon, followed by a service at 2 p.m. A graveside service will be held at Whitehall Cemetery, Dykesville, on Tuesday, January 26 at 10:30 am with a visitation to follow at Ruple Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Beverly’s memory may be sent to University Baptist Church, 5775 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA; Ruple Baptist Church, 4690 Highway 534, Homer LA; or to Isidore Newman School (“Andrew Elkins Creative Arts Fund” in the memo line), 1903 Jefferson Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115.
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