Beverly Jane Grugett Yopp

Beverly Jane Grugett Yopp peacefully joined the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior on September 18, 2025. She was born in Dyersburg, TN August 11, 1938. She was a new addition to Paul and Martha Grugett’s family of four children, later to be joined by a younger sister. The family relocated to Covington, TN in 1939, shortly after Beverly’s arrival, in response to her father’s promotion to the local Illinois Central railroad station. Beverly graduated from Byers Hall High School in 1956 and was the first female student in its history to take four years of science and math. She attended Blue Mountain College for Women before transferring to Memphis State University where she was voted Miss Fabulous, Miss Typical Coed, Homecoming Queen and was the Vice President of Alpha Delta Pi. Beverly finished her B.A. in English at University of Maryland on a full scholarship. While at Maryland, she was President and National Representative of Alpha Delta Pi and Miss Prince George County in the Miss America Pageant. Beverly began her lengthy teaching career teaching elementary, middle and high school classes. She returned to her hometown of Covington to teach at her alma mater, Byers Hall High School, where she taught English, French and was the faculty advisor of the school newspaper, proudly founded by her brother George. She moved to Memphis, TN and got her Master’s in Education at Memphis State University before becoming a member of the faculty. In the early 1970s, Beverly and her family moved to Batesburg-Leesville, SC for an opportunity to become the faculty and student advisor at James Butler Bonham Academy where she sat on the Board of Directors, hired faculty and taught classes. Desiring a change in careers, she took courses at the University of South Carolina and became a computer programmer and systems analyst for companies such as Allied Chemical in the early 1980s in the Columbia, SC area. She developed and marketed a national software program for Medicare billing. Beverly discovered she had an entrepreneurial spirit when friends offered her a chance to own and operate Fantastic Sam’s hair care franchises. Over the course of twelve years, she moved to Charleston, SC and opened eleven locations in the Lowcountry from Savannah, GA to Mt. Pleasant, SC. She was awarded International Owner of the Year. After retiring, she tutored, substituted and volunteered. Everyone who knew Beverly recognized how exceptionally bright she was. There was seemingly nothing she could not do. She enjoyed music and dancing, reading, crossword and Sudoku puzzles, golf - with 4 holes in one, and bridge. She loved clothes and accessories and always looked like the Southern Lady that she was. She attended Old St Andrew’s Parish Church in Charleston. She was a member of MENSA, Kappa Delta Pi and Daughters of the American Revolution. Beverly grew up in a large, vibrant family in Tennessee and was so close with her siblings Martha, George “Buddy,” William “Billy,” Bobby and is survived by her sister Judith Murray, nieces and nephews. She was the proud Mother of her only child, Lex Paul Snider. Beverly married Norman Eugene Snider on Christmas in 1968. They spent almost three charmed decades together. In 1996, she moved to Atlanta, GA and married John William Yopp, who treated her like gold until the day he died. Beverly returned to Charleston after John’s passing and spent her remaining years here with her Son, her grandchildren, Paul and LexAnne, and her many friends. Our hearts are heavy, but we rejoice in knowing she is reunited with the loved ones who have gone before her. In memory of Beverly, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

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