November 18, 1948-January 15, 2022
Doris Hogan Beck and Elmer Dual Beck welcomed a baby girl into the world on November 18, 1948. On January 15, 2022, they greeted her at the gates of Heaven. A lot of living happened in between.
Teresa was joined by her younger brother Mike a few short years later. They grew up in Cedartown and on Lake Weiss as their parents always had a cabin at the lake. Teresa graduated from Cedartown High School in 1966 and attended “Secretarial School” at Coosa Valley Tech.
She married Mike Galloway in 1967 and a new baby girl, Deidra, arrived in 1968. The couple moved to Marietta and tried to make a go of it but ultimately Teresa brought her daughter back to Cave Spring a few years later.
Teresa started working as a secretary at Georgia School for the Deaf and made several life-long friends including Nancy Allen, Brenda Crider, and Suzanne Vann. These women were the foundation of Teresa’s found family.
Teresa lost her young niece, April Michelle Beck (Mike and Rita’s daughter) and suffered a stroke during those difficult early single mom years. These women held Teresa and her daughter up through these trials.
Teresa met John Whatley in the late 70’s and they were married in 1981. While they may have met under less than ideal circumstances, John was exactly what Teresa and Deidra both needed. John brought his daughter Michelle Whatley to the union. There was laughter and there were tears in the following years, but Teresa and John lived and loved. John preceded her to heaven in 1993.
Teresa worked her way up to Business Manager at Georgia School for the Deaf, but it was painful for her to be there after John’s death, and she moved to the Department of Corrections as the Business Manager for the Boot Camp in Cedartown in 1994. I am sure it was an adventure because she was actively planning Deidra’s wedding to Wilson Couey when she arrived at the Boot Camp! Here some new women joined her found family, Theresa McCary, Kay Cook, Tammie Kinne and Denise Hellriegel.
Teresa became Nana to Dakota Lynn Couey in 1996 and Thomas Kyle in 2000.
Teresa met Danny Comer in 2004 and they enjoyed adventures together for several years. Although they dated for years marriage was never in the cards as they both viewed themselves as married to a spouse who lived in Heaven. Danny joined his beloved Joyce in Heaven on December 30, 2020.
Teresa retired from the Boot Camp in 2010 and enjoyed activities with Deidra, her grandchildren, Danny, and her found family! Teresa had knee surgery in 2018 and dementia reared its ugly head. Theresa McCary was an angel in taking care of mom during this time. By 2020 things reached a point that Teresa elected to move to Renaissance Marquis.
Covid made this transition incredibly difficult and was further complicated by Deidra’s own health issues. By 2021 when in person visitation was possible, Teresa was having an increasingly difficult time. A fall in October of 2021 sent her to the hospital and she ultimately came to live at Deidra’s home in November.
Her granddaughter, Dakota, became her full-time caregiver and took her on adventures and had spa days with her until Teresa could no longer travel. This time with Nana was super special and we will forever be grateful to Affinity Hospice, especially DeAnna Etheredge. Teresa peacefully joined John in heaven on January 15, 2022 at 11:05.
Teresa loved animals and had a variety of them through the years. Dahli Lama, Storm Chow, Suds, and Chopper Dog greeted her at the Rainbow Bridge. Bentley is living the life of luxury with Nancy.
We will have a graveside service Thursday, January 20, 2022, at four o’clock in the afternoon at the Round Hill Cemetery in Cave spring, GA with Mark Fogarty officiating. The family and friends will meet at Gondolier’s on Shorter Avenue afterwards to drink a toast to Teresa as share Nana stories as she always said she wanted.
The Lester C. Litesey Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Ms. Whatley.
