Beulah Ella Mae Gentry Ervin, 96, of Fleetwood, NC, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 12, 2014. She was born November 5, 1917 to the late Rev. George and Emma Poe Gentry. She is also preceded in death by her husband Rev. Preston Ervin and six brothers, Ray, Kinzle (Bus), Foch, George Allen, Billy and Gwyn. Surviving are daughters, Rev. Brenda Ervin Faust and husband, Mellott, of the home, Jacqueline Vannoy and husband, Allen of Wilkesboro, NC and Gloria Jean Tyson and husband, John of Crumpler, NC; a sister, Stella Gentry Sweeney, of Fleetwood, NC; five grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and church family. She was so proud of her girls, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren and her only living sibling, her sister, Stella Mae. She was known to many as "Mother Ervin" and "Granny" but truly a Woman of God who carried the most beautiful smile and loved wearing hats of many colors. She believed and practiced love and kindness to ALL. When someone would say to her "so glad to see you" she'd respond "I'm glad to see you too" and mean it from the heart. She wrote in her own words some things she's done in her lifetime and here's what she had to say... "I was a junior class teacher of the Sunday school at Pleasant Grove. Mr. Fred asked me to take that class. I was also a Sunday school supervisor with Beatrice Hampton of Galax, VA. Brother Ed Harris put me on the committee. She and I didn't have opportunity to visit some of the Sunday schools. I was president of our local Home Mission Society and taught classes for a while. In 1973, I had to get a job to help with the bills and to help the girls through high school-college. My job required that I work every Sunday except one Sunday out of a month. Therefore, I had to drop my activities from church. I worked 9 years. She retired at age 64 in 1982. Now I am 87 years old on January 5, 2005. As a teenager, I professed a hope in the Lord Jesus Christ and joined Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. I was baptized by Rev. J.G. Harris. I also followed Uncle Roby Gentry on Sunday mornings to have Sunday school. Teaching was done by him? He was a great instructor who cared for people-all followed him across the river to the church by foot every Sunday until my dad and mother decided to work out a plan to build a church over here where it is now. My mom Emma Gentry went visiting different home and churches, both White and Black to raise money to build this church. Everyone was very cooperative in giving and in 1962 the carpenters began to work on the church, completed shortly. Mr. Fred Miller was our Superintendent. After my husband and I moved back to North Carolina due to his illness in 1958, between 1958-1962 his sickness got worse and he died on Monday, November 21, 1966." On Wednesday March 12, 2014 at 6:35am, mama reached her hand upward-we believe she was putting her hand in God's hand and went on to glory with a smile. Hallelujah. The family gives special thanks to her son-in-law, Bro. Mellott Faust for helping us take care of our mama. We also give thanks to all who showed acts of kindness. Scripture: "Thou good and faithful servant" "Fought a good fight" Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 2:00pm at Boone Family Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jackie Reeves, Rev. Theodore Brandon and Rev. Michael Sweeney officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Gove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:00-2:00pm on Saturday, two hours prior to the funeral service. Flowers appreciated or donations to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in memory of Mother Ervin, c/o Stella Sweeney, 511 Liberty Grove church Road, Fleetwood, NC 28626.