On Saturday, November 19, 2011, the quiet spirit of Bessie Whitehead took wings of the night and flew away to be at rest with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Bessie was born June 5, 1924 to Ella and Johnnie Whitehead in South Hampton County, VA, where she attended elementary and high school. In the early forties she married Richard Whitehead and they moved to Portsmouth, VA. They became members of the St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, and would visit Calvary Evangelical Baptist Church to worship with family members. Bessie loved working in her yard, planting flowers, sewing, reading and showing hospitality to family and friends. Her favorite scriptures were Psalms 23, Psalms 27, John 17, and James 8:1a. She loved to talk and always had encouraging words for her family, who she loved dearly. She is predeceased by her husband of 53 years, Richard; her son, Timothy;her grandson, Nathan Anthony Brooks III;her sisters, Mattie and Marion;brothers, Herbert, James, Limmy Lewis, and Johnnie Whitehead. She leaves to cherish her memories two daughters, Ella W.(Nathan)Whitehead, Velma(Luther) Bolden;five sons, Richard (Eunice)Whitehead, Jr., Sidney(Viola)Whitehead, Wayne Whitehead aka Kamau Chenelo, James(Dwanda)Whitehead, and H. Andre Whitehead; one brother, Emmit Whitehead; a widowed daughter-in-law, Melvina; a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.