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Terry Doyle Leverett – Great Grandson of Ed and Minnie Beaver

I, T. Doyle Leverett, was born January 19,1954, at Manteno, Illinois. I am the third child born to Robert Lee Leverett and Daisy Nard Beaver Leverett. I was the first to have the bad taste to be born outside the state of Texas. I am told that I made up for this lack of breeding by making the phrases, “Panhandle,” “Sam Houston,” “Remember the Alamo,” and such like, a part of my vocabulary.

Some of my early memories:

  1. Being told by my mother, Daisy, that the statue outside of the Kankakee Court House was that of a damn yankee. I was seventeen before I realized that phrase was two separate words.
  2. Being bitten by the acting bug early. I could recite all of Gerald McBoing-Boing at the age of three.
  3. Being taken to meet my Grandma Nanny (Sadie Beaver) at the train station when she came up from Texas, and how I loved her. I loved to spend the night with her in her house a crosa the street from ours in Manteno – even though her snoring could wake the dead.
  4. I liked to sing at the Church of Christ where we attended, and like most kids, I learned to sing a part early.
  5. I lost my beloved Nanny when I was 11 years old, and then I made my first trip to the great state of Texas. How I loved meeting all of my big family, especially my great Aunt Myrl Norrod, who was just my height.
  6. The two times that Buddy and Lois visited us in Illinois. I thought Buddy was the funniest man I had ever seen. He always accused me of belonging to the Syndicate.
  7. Hearing Gospel singing from my earliest days on. I knew that I was part of a grand heritage of Gospel singers. To this day I tear up when I hear one of those old songs.
  8. Looking back, I must have been a spoiled brat, but I was treated like a little prince by all concerned. That is to say, I was “rooted and founded in love.”

Education: I attended the University of Illinois for four years, r ceiving a degree in Music Theater. I received a scholarship to, and attended the Academy of Music in Vienna, Austria. I have five years of acting experience in summerstock theater.

Currently, I am operating a dinner theater in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania, with my sister, Kelly, and singing all across the country. I am unmarried, and seriously considering single parent adoption. There never can be too many Beavers or Leveretts, you know.

T. Doyle Leverett

Kelly and Sadie Beaver on their wedding day
Rollie and Donie Beaver on their wedding day, 1913
New Beaver Home at Girard – 1915
L to R: Charlie, Clay, Hub, Dad, Mama, Jane (on tower), Lee Ella
Front: Samintha and Lois (with doll)
Lois, Kelly, Daisy Nard and Lee Ella on the water tank coach of work train
Lois Beaver and Ralph Sherrill
He was just like a brother.
Daisy Nard Beaver Leverett Family
Front Row: Terri Sue Leverett, Davon Bishop, Daisy Leverett, Tricia Leverett, Danie Mark Bishop
Back Row: Col. Hubbert Lee Leverett, Dr. Robert Bishop, Kelly Joan Bishop and Terry Doyle Leverett

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