Laverne Weathersby

LaVerne Weathersby was born to the union of the late Reverend John and Geraldine Curney in Chicago, Illinois on October 13, 1943. She was the oldest of nine children, and the Matriarch of the Curney Clan.

She graduated from Crane High School in 1962, where she met Gary Weathersby Sr. On June 24, 1973, she graduated from Northwestern Business School.

Gary and LaVerne were married on April 9, 1962, and this union was blessed with five children. After a brief separation, Gary and LaVerne were remarried On May 9, 1976, and with this union they were blessed to have two more children. This is a testament to what God puts together it cannot be broken.

LaVerne was employed with the Social Security Administration for five years from 1982-1987 and Sears for eight years from 1997-2005. She and Gary were also business partners with Amway Products and with ACN (A Network Marketing Company) for many years. She was a Board Member at United Way of Maywood, as well as the Director of the PTA Board at Oscar Dupriest Elementary School in Chicago.

In 1974, she joined Pleasant Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, where she was saved and baptized. In 1975, she was ordained as an Evangelist at One Way Apostolic Church under the leadership of Bishop Elder Herman Walker Sr.  LaVerne was introduced to the Woman of Glow Ministries where God opened her eyes to see that loving the Lord is not about what you wear but what’s in your heart. In 1990, she joined Living Word Christian Center under the leadership of Dr. Bill Winston, at which during this time she was part of The Born of Four and other ministries. In 2006, she graduated from the School of Ministry at Living Word Christian Center.

LaVerne possessed many talents; she loved to sew and make crafts. She had a way of putting things together. Although she had polio as a child, she never let the side effects of that disease stop her. She sang and danced with her brothers and sisters. She even had a singing group. LaVerne became a Published Author in 2021. Her book titled “Tell My People” Received (5) five stars on Amazon. LaVerne also wrote a poem called Rainbow Butterfly and a song called “Rain on me Lord.” She always told people about the Lord and how he loved them everywhere she went. Even when she had health challenges and needed to go into the hospital and rehabilitations centers, she always found a way to tell people about the goodness of the Lord.

Other things Mom enjoyed were her favorite color purple, watching Columbo, Law and Order, and the Equalizer on TV. Her favorite movies were Rocky and It’s a Wonderful Life. She was a woman of much wisdom and great patience, and she was a great cook too. Her family could not wait to have her special sweet potato pie, that she only made for Thanksgiving and Christmas. LaVerne was a Phenomenal Woman, to know her is to love her. A powerful woman of Faith!

On Monday, December 9, 2024 at 5:44 A.M., LaVerne received her wings and went home to be with the Lord. She is preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Gary Weathersby Sr.; and their eldest son, Gary Weathersby Jr; her brothers: John Jr., Michael, Eric and David Curney; her sisters: Jennifer Curney and Linda Smith.

LaVerne leaves behind to cherish her memory: her six children: Suzette Tillman (Keith), Yvette Weathersby, Pam Bembry (Walter), Joy Radcliff (Kenny), Faith Green (Terrence), and John Weathersby (Taneisha); 19 grandchildren: Jermaine, Keyla, Lamont, Chris, Jana, La’Vonia, Timothy, Joshua, Jelisa, Tationna, Lamar, Jonychea, Jordan, Taranisha, John Jr, Jelise, Jaden, Jacob and Takayla; 16 great-grandchildren, Taniya: Tiara, Tyra, Bria, Syria, Iam, Payton, Catalina, Saniya, Noah, Ezra, Ella, Luka, Amire, Amara, and Kameron Jr.; two sisters: LaTreece King (Willie) and Mary Bennett-Durr (Robert); one brother Steven Curney (Robbin); sisters-in-law: Doris Sims and Diane Curney; cousin in-law, Joan Banks; long time sister/friends: Rosie Irving, Shirley Coggswell, Joann Plant and Phyllis Flanagan-Johnson; long time brother/friends: David Morrison and Tom Isaac; and a host of many, many great nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

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