Bessie Mae Clinkscales was born on October 6, 1940 in Abbeville, South Carolina. She was the eighth of nine children born to Lawrence and Allie Mae Lesley-Clinkscales.
Bessie graduated from Wright High School “Valedictorian” Class of 1958. She continued her education at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina as a biology major. She was a member of both the National Honor Society and Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society.
She retired from New York Blood Center after 35 years of service as a Blood Analyst and later moved to her retirement home in Anderson, South Carolina.
Bessie departed this life on December 20, 2018. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Cloudes "Hawk" "Diamond", John, Lawrence, Willie and Wallace Clinkscales.
She leaves to cherish her memories, her son, Andre Sidney Johnson and his wife, Michelle of Brooklyn, N.Y.; sister, Cornelia Glover of Iva, South Carolina; brothers, Jerry (Elease) Clinkscales and Loyal Clinkscales of Anderson, South Carolina; grandchildren, Yasmin Johnson, Shamel Johnson, Anissa Scott, Naseer Johnson and Tajh Johnson; great grandchildren, Legend Sargent and A’siyah Johnson; “A Special Aunt”, Marion Newell; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2018 in the Ollie Robinson Brown Memorial Chapel of Marcus D. Brown Funeral Home. The interment will follow at Anderson Memorial Gardens.
The family is at the home of the Lesley's, 715 Druid Hills Drive Anderson, SC 29621.
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