Beverly Gayle Laws

Beverly Gayle York Laws, daughter of the late Clodie E. York, Sr. and Ida Mae Fulwood York, was born August 3, 1945 in Sumter County, South Carolina. She departed this life on May 19, 2025, in New Jersey while being closely supported by her children. “Gayle,” as she was affectionately known by her family, was raised in a Christian home and attended Mt. Sanai A.M.E. Church in Lynchburg, South Carolina, where she sang on the Sunbeam Choir and later, as a teenager, she served as an Usher and sung on the Junior Choir. She was educated in the Sumter County school system where she attended Johnson School, St. John's School, and Eastern High School where she graduated in 1963. Her last three years of high school is one of the highest points of her life because she lived with her uncle Daniel and Marie Fulwood. There, she was treated as a big sister to Harry and the late Burnie Fulwood. During those years, she began her involvement with Joseph M. Laws, Sr. whom she joined in holy matrimony, and they were blessed to have three faithful children. Upon her marriage to Joseph, she left her parents in Washington, DC and began her life with Joseph in New Jersey, where she took on employment at Bergen Pines Hospital. Later, Joseph and Gayle relocated to Sumter County in South Carolina, until health reasons caused her to spend her last days in New Jersey with her children. During this time her children gave her love and care that brought joy to her family and those who were all aware of they honored her with love, even giving up a part of their life to make sure she was well taken care of. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two sisters Evelyn Leevy, and Sarah Witherspoon: her brothers, Willie Montgomery, Clodie York, Jr., and Warren York, Sr. Beverly leaves to cherish her loving memories: her husband Joseph M. Laws, Sr.; her sons Joseph M. Laws, Jr.( Doris) and Daryl (Ellen) Laws; her daughter Takesha Laws; her sister Mary York Walker; her brother Joseph York; her granddaughters, Dannica Laws, and Janell Laws; her grandsons caisson Laws, Trayvon Harris, and Davon McClinton; her sisters-in-law and best friend Lucille Laws, Annie Mary Smith and Del Gracia York; three brothers- in-law, Junior (Laureen) Laws, Deso (Lucille) Laws and Amry (Oralee) Laws; a host of nieces, nephews and dear friends