Beverly Blake

Beverly Yvonne Blake, deeply loved mother, grandmother, community organizer, and tender caregiver, passed away peacefully on May 17th in Los Angeles. She was 69 years old.

Born March 3rd, 1943 in Hutchinson, Kansas, Beverly was the youngest of seven children born to Lloyd and Irene White. Not only did Irene's unexpected pregnancy catch everybody by surprise, but at birth Beverly weighed less than two pounds and wasn't expected to survive. She not only survived but thrived, the first of many extraordinary accomplishments her life would reflect. Having moved with her parents to Los Angeles, she graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1961 and married Harold Clifford Blake, Jr. the same year. Three years later, Harold died in an accident, leaving the widowed Beverly with the daunting prospect of raising their three young children alone. Characteristically, she rose to the challenge, not only providing for their basic needs but working several jobs sacrificially to provide them with the broadest possible opportunities in life.

In 1992, driven by a passion to serve, she founded Inter-Agency Council, a nonprofit that would provide affordable housing, job development, neighborhood organizing, groceries, appliances, meals, and children's toys for thousands of impoverished families.

In 2007, Beverly was recognized by Assemblyman Mike Davis and the California State Assembly as Woman of the Year for her landmark work protecting the African-American-founded town of Allensworth from potentially destructive encroaching interests. She served as Board President of Church of the Living Word and in leadership capacities with community organizations such as 2nd AME Church, Vermont-Harbor Neighborhood Council, and United Job Creation Council.

A woman of exquisite taste in every respect, Beverly was a lover of life, and relished good music, art, food, and conversation. Her greatest joy was caring for her family, a lifelong commitment that she carried out, often sacrificially, to the very end. Among those she cared for was her ailing mother Irene, whom she lovingly attended until her passing in 2001. She was equally attentive to the needs of her young grandsons until a stroke in December 2010 incapacitated her. Beverly is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Madeline and Clifford Govan; son and daughter-in-law Stephen and Sonya Blake; daughter Jaimie Blake; daughter and son-in-law Shauna and Demetric Collins; grandsons Joshua Collins, Daniel Collins, and Jordan Blake; and step-granddaughters Jovanna and Shondia Collins.

As thoroughly as Beverly enjoyed life here on Earth, we celebrate the reality that she's now savoring a life far sweeter, richer, and more wondrous than anything that even she could have ever imagined.