Bessie Fluker

Bessie Mae Fluker was born on April 6, 1929, in Marion Junction, Alabama. She was the seventh child of nine born to Willie Lark Thomas and Isabella Kate Underwood-Thomas.

Bessie Mae's foundation of Christianity was birthed at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Marion Junction, Alabama. She continued her foundation of faith by uniting with Second Baptist Church of LaGrange under the pastorage of Reverend JWR Owens, where she served faithfully on the Nurse’s Aide Board. After returning from Bellamy, Alabama, Bessie Mae joined Davis Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church under the pastorage of Reverend Dr. Theodore Moran, where she was a member until her transition from labor to reward.

Bessie Mae was preceded in death by her parents, Willie and Isabella Kate Thomas; her husband, Jeffrey Fluker; her brothers, James Thomas, Henry Thomas, Sr. and Jack Thomas; her sisters, Alice Thomas, Hattie Clay, Ora Lee Anderson, and Emma Wilson; her brothers in-law, Willie Wilson, Robert Emerson, and Ernest Clay; and her sisters in-law, Cebell Thompson, Zenolia Nelson, Corine Thomas, and Belvie Thomas.

Bessie Mae headed north to Illinois along with several of her siblings. Upon her arrival in Illinois, Bessie Mae worked at Community Memorial Hospital (current day U Chicago Medicine Advent Health) in La Grange, Illinois for many years. On September 7, 1976, she married the love of her life Jeffrey Fluker and resided in Chicago, Illinois until they move to Bellamy, Alabama after retirement and to take care of her parents. She then retired from her second career at Georgia Pacific.

Bessie Mae was THAT Auntie! As soon as the beat dropped, she hit the dance floor and she had good knees good knees. She was our fashion icon. She was the protector of all her nieces and nephews. If you ever went to the casino with her, you know she had the "Midas" touch. Bessie Mae was a beast in the kitchen. She extended her love to her nieces and nephews with random calls to pick up her world-famous fried catfish and sweet potato pies. And EVERYBODY had their own pies.

Bessie made her peaceful transition into the loving arms of her heavenly father on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at 6:40 am with her family by her bedside. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her sister, Josephine Emerson of La Grange, IL; brother-in-law, Eleazer Anderson of La Grange, IL; and her brother cousin, Joe (Corine) Thomas of La Grange, IL.; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.

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