Verna Beatrice Beaver, age 95, passed away on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Verna was born on April 10, 1925 in Bakersfield, California to Edmund and Charolette Bussey. She was the eldest daughter of five children; Charles, Edmund, Bruce and Ann. She attended Los Angeles High School, and also attended UCLA and studied cosmetology. She had a gift for hair design, which was her life’s work. She married in 1940 and had one daughter; Charolette Williams (deceased) from that union. Verna continued to work as a hair stylist until she remarried sometime in the fifties to Fitzgerald Beaver. They moved to Portland, Oregon where her husband worked as a Disc Jockey and Verna worked at the best and most prestigious salons in Portland. Verna then moved to Seattle, Washington in 1960 and worked at the downtown Nettleton Hotel Apartments. She entered many hair shows where she was the only African American styling Caucasian models, in which she won the majority of hair shows. In 1968, she established her own salon called Designer Coiffures’, where she soon became the “Queen of the Jeri Curl,” in Seattle Washington, while continuing to work on her old customers from the Nettleton. While the owner, she created her own hairdressing called “Pride” which was patented. Verna worked as a hair stylist until she retired in 2013.
She is survived by a son, Roland Beaver; six great granddaughters, Kennetha, Eugenia, Rolanda, Jalisa, Verna and Amanda; ten great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandson. She leaves behind great memories with extended family, friends and loved ones.
The Family will receive friends on Monday, July 27, 2020 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Johns-Ridout's Mortuary-Elmwood Chapel, 800 Dennison Ave S.W. Birmingham, AL 35211, with a Celebration of Verna's Life following at 2:00 PM. A burial will occur at Elmwood Cemetery & Mausoleum, 600 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Birmingham, Alabama 35211.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.johnsridoutselmwoodchapel.com for the Beaver family.
What an inspiring life Verna Beaver led—a true pioneer in her field and a remarkable talent in the world of hair design. Her dedication, creativity, and ability to break barriers as an African American stylist are legacies that will continue to inspire future generations. For anyone seeking to honor her passion for beauty and excellence, visiting a hair salon in Falls Church is a wonderful way to appreciate the artistry and craft that stylists bring to their work, just as Verna did throughout her incredible career.