Graveside services for Mrs. Bessie Mae Brown Chapton were held on Friday, March 17, 2017 at noon from New Bethel Christian Church.

Rev. Tommy Means officiated. Hudson Funeral Services of Greenville, Ala., directed.

Our beloved Bessie Mae Brown Chapton was born legendary in the small town of Greenville, Ala., on June 25, 1947 to Lessie Mae Brown, a charismatic, beautiful individual.

Bessie was preceded in death by her mother, Lessie Mae Brown, during childbirth. Bessie was raised by her loving grandparents and at the age of 8 years old, she relocated to Chicago, where she lived with her aunt, Nora Smith, and cousin, Dorothy, who soon became a sister to her. Bessie professed a hope in Christ and was saved at Progressive Baptist Church and also was a member at Providence

Church, both located in Chicago.

In 1965, Bessie graduated from Harper High School and she continued her education at Wilson Junior College, where she met her husband Deacon Thomas Chapton Jr. Bessie and Thomas, her loving husband of 48 years, were joined together in holy matrimony on April 3, 1969. While her husband served in the military, Bessie had the opportunity to live and give birth to her only son, Cory Lance Chapton in West Berlin, Germany. After living in Germany, Bessie and Thomas later shared an extended visit to Hawaii.

Upon migrating back to the United States, Bessie had the esteemed privilege to work for the AT&T Corporation for 35 years as an engineer.

World travels and an illustrious career were secondary; what was most important to Bessie was her relationship with God. She later became a faithful member of Redemptive Tabernacle Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Pastor Linford Coleman Sr. Bessie was a devoted member and

she truly loved her pastor and First Lady Veronica Coleman. Pastor Coleman recognized the charitable loving spirit of true hospitality in our dear Bessie and appointed her the first official usher of Redemptive Tabernacle Church. Bessie adorned her role as an usher proudly and she served as the

vice president of that department.  Everyone will fondly remember her inviting Christian greeting, sweet spirit and lovely smile. Bessie truly loved her church family and everyone reciprocated the same feeling.

Bessie is survived by her loving husband, Thomas; her devoted son, Cory; and first-born grandson, Noah, whom she loved very much along with other grandchildren.

Bessie, being the only child, adopted other siblings, Earlene, Shirley and Eddie Milner; plus a host of other family members, including two aunts, Viola Poole, Chicago, and Leola Brown, Greenville, Ala.; and two uncles, E.C. (Steve) and Earnest Brown, both of Chicago.

Her role as a mom, a grandmother and a faithful church member were most important and cherished throughout her life. Bessie’s unwavering faith in God is where she drew her strength and left her legacy. Bessie’s life demonstrated the most important lessons of unconditional love, nurturing,

and forgiveness. The seed that she planted in us will live on and will be with us even now that she has gone to be with God. Our dear, sweet Bessie is now with God and she does not have to endure anymore more pain or suffering. This is not a time of mourning, but a time to celebrate a loving wife, mother, family member, church member and friend.