John Allen Beverly, Jr.

John A. Beverly, Jr., (known as Butch Beverly growing up in childhood through college), who passed away in his sleep as I found John this past Saturday morning, August 2. John was age 74, born November 14, 1950, of Francis Johnson Beverly and John Allen Beverly, Sr. of Fredericksburg, VA, who predeceased him and was also preceded in death by his son, Brody Nathaniel Beverly and his brother, James Michael Beverly (known as NuNu.) We pray for the peaceful repose of his soul to be in the love and mercy of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in Heaven.

John persevered on a long road in much trial to rehabilitate and in much suffering since he had a severe stroke in his left Cerebral on January 5 in the hospital after going into the hospital with Pneumonia on January 3, 2023. He was left disabled, not able to speak and not able to move on his complete right side. This was a difficult change for him to adjust to, with his right hand left in a cramped up position, as he had grown up as a star athlete, playing college scholarship football and baseball at Hamden-Sydney College, B.A. History & Economics Graduate ‘73.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Hampden-Sydney College in 2011 for football and baseball, Class 1973, as stated in the “Hampden-Sydney College Tigers”: “Beverly was a two-sport standout lettering four years in both football and baseball. A cornerback, Beverly holds a program record for starting in all 42 games of his career while three times being named All-Mason Dixon Conference and All-Virginia Small College. In his four years, the Tigers won three straight Mason Dixon Championships from 1970-72 while posting the school’s first 10-0 regular season in 1971. As a junior in 1971, Beverly was named an Honorable Mention All-American. He also led the team in interceptions in both 1971 and 1972 with four each year. On the baseball diamond, Beverly was an outstanding centerfielder while helping guide the Tigers to a combined 40-11 record and two Mason-Dixon Championships in 1970 and 71. As a freshman, Beverly won the College’s Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award.”

John’s football team, the Hampden-Sydney Tigers, was inducted into the Hampden-Sydney Hall of Fame in the fall of ‘23 for the team’s fall season records of ‘70 and ‘71. But, John wasn’t able to attend the awards ceremony that fall of ‘23 after he had his stroke in January ‘23. But, he knew of the accomplishment and got to watch his football team awarded on Zoom.

John became a Reference Librarian with Chesterfield County in 1975 where he worked for 32 years. He married Katherine Alcorn Beverly in August 1991 and retired early after his son, Brody was born in May 1998 and his daughter, Britney was born in April 2000. He continued to work full part-time hours at the Chesterfield County Library, and then in 2007 went on to work in the Chesterfield County Schools helping the basketball teams. He spent his last years, especially enjoying Brody and Britney growing up and taught and coached what became his favorite game of tennis to play. He competed in many tennis tournaments in Chesterfield, Petersburg, Dinwiddie, and Prince George Counties. He was known to have a killer backstroke in the tennis game and he taught and coached Britney in everything she knows about tennis.

John, not only carried his dynamic athletic presence to win as a player and coach on the tennis court, but he was a devoted loving husband, father, friend, co-worker with a humanitarian, kind, intelligent spirit that made a friend everywhere he went with his funny sense of humor, always interested in the seeking of knowledge and in the deeper mystery in meaning and in truth of this life! John remains In our most loving memory, always and forever in our hearts!

John A. Beverly, Jr. is survived by his wife, Katherine Alcorn Beverly and his daughter, Britney Noel Beverly of Chesterfield; his nephew, James Michael Beverly, Jr. and his niece, Anne Beverly Showalter and her husband, Hart Showalter, with their children, Jane, Sam, and Charles Showalter of Virginia Beach; his brother, Richard R. Beverly and his niece, Anne Beverly and nephews, Drew Beverly and Ryan Beverly, with other extended family members, cousins and many dear friends.

May perpetual light shine on John’s soul and may he rest in peace in eternal life in the love and mercy of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen”

The family will receive friends from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Monday, August 11, 2025 at the Colonial Heights Chapel of E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes and Crematory, 2033 Boulevard. A memorial mass will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, August 18, 2025 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 151 W Washington St, Petersburg, VA 23803. Inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Online condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.