Beverly Pitts
July 31, 1955-January 15, 2021
Beverly Ann Pitts was born July 31, 1955, to the parents of Mary and Joseph Drawer in Macon, Georgia. Her childhood began in the ‘Highland Circle’ Community, where she attended Henry A. Hunt Elementary School, Peter G. Appling Jr. High, and Northeast High School. After working various jobs including the U.S. Postal Service and Cigna Insurance Company, she truly found her passion in the beauty industry. After completing beauty school at Macon Technical College in 1983, she was involved in many facets of the beauty industry for nearly 40 years.
She worked as a Hairstylist and Salon Owner of Hairlines Beauty Salon for over 25 years and Corbel’s Beauty Supply for over 20 years with her husband Carlton Pitts. She was also a beauty industry educator for over 20 years. As her entrepreneurship flourished, she developed Central Georgia’s first Pro Beauty Trade Show and a host of other business ventures. Her leadership and commitment to the betterment of her community resulted in special recognition from Virginia College and East Macon Awards & Recognition Committee to name a few.
Her professional career spawned a large family-like community that loved her dearly. However, her most meaningful purpose came when she dedicated her life and became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For over 42 years, she was actively dedicated to sharing her faith with as many as she could and developed a host of Christian brothers and sisters that she loved and called them her Christian family.
Beverly Pitts exemplified dedication and hard work. In all areas of life, she was loving, inspirational, and motivational. She was a selfless community advocate, a pillar in her family life, a pioneer in her professional career, and a humble servant in her spiritual life. She truly believed that anyone could realize their dreams if they persevered and tirelessly gave their best effort. She never stopped trying to be better and do better and she always encouraged anyone around her to do the same. She gave all she could to help anyone in business. So much so, she thought it was her mission in life and she accomplished it. She believed and constantly instilled in our (Black) communities that ‘ “WE ARE ALL WE GOT”. In her last speech during a community event, she remarked:
“No one else is concerned about our businesses in our communities. So, we have to look for the positives and support each other. We should look for ways to help each other because if you give to others, you only gain. As Black Owned Businesses…we are not each other’s competition…. our competition and those that rob our community businesses are from the outside. So we have to support each other to make it.”
Though she is no longer with us, Hairlines Salon at 2515 New Clinton Rd Macon, Ga. and Carbel’s Beauty Supply at 2324 Pio Nono Ave Macon, Ga. are still open. They will remain a part of the minority owned business community to which Beverly dedicated herself. Her daughter, Chanda Chapman, is committed to carrying the torch of her mom’s legacy by completing the renovation of the Hairlines Plaza and further expanding minority business space opportunities in the East Macon Community. Also, she will continue leading Hairlines as the main salon resource location for new and upcoming Hairstylists and Beauty professionals. While her husband, Carlton Pitts, will continue to make Carbel’s Beauty Supply a pillar among Black Owned Businesses in the West Macon community. Beverly’s legacy will continue as they forge ahead because she would have wanted them to continue to support the community of businesses she loved because indeed, “We Are All We’ve Got”.
