Thelma Laverne Heath-Celestin was born in Newport News, Virginia on February 18, 1945, to parents, Odessa & Joseph Heath. Her aunt, Pearl Bailey acted as a second mother and helped raise her to become the woman we all know and love. Thelma, known to most as simply Laverne, attended and graduated from Huntington High School in 1963. Afterward, she attended Saint Paul College and went on to become a certified Medical Lab Technician at Nassau County Community College. She married Roland Celestin on September 11, 1982, and from 1978 to 1992 she worked at South Nassau Hospital in New York, where she also gave birth to her one and only beloved son, Corey, who was born in 1984. In 1992, Lavern returned and settled back in her home state of Virginia, taking up residence in Hampton where she lived until the Lord called her home.

Of her many accomplishments and virtues, Laverne will be remembered as a beautiful woman who could rarely be seen without an ear-to-ear smile. In addition to her resilience, Laverne was a woman of strong conviction, fortitude, feistiness, and honesty, but most importantly, she was a woman of love. Always ready with a tight hug, words of wisdom, or a unique nickname for her loved ones. One of the things she did best was making those around her feel loved and seen; using her God-given gifts to make a difference in the lives of those around her. She was a matriarch to any youth she encountered, family member or otherwise. She was always ready to provide lessons on etiquette, focus, manners, and respect toward elders. What Laverne gave to the world was her heart – if she wasn't babysitting Tiffany and Shelby, she was tutoring students at Sims Middle School, which she devoted her time to from 1998 to 2001. If she was not helping her niece find work at the very hospital where she worked, she was motivating and encouraging family to come together to celebrate being a family. When she was not doing any of the above, Laverne was on the move, traveling and exploring the world. Her travels included Sierra Leone, West Africa, Nicaragua, Las Vegas, Nevada, and California to name a few. Laverne was also a loyal sports fan. She often rooted for the Steelers, the Golden State Warriors, and pretty much any team LeBron James chose to play on. She was a woman of many layers.

As a Christian woman with a strong moral compass, Laverne led with her heart. She was an avid member of multiple churches to include Providence Baptist Church where she served as a member of the hospitality committee. She later became a member of Shiloh Baptist Church where she continued her acts of service by volunteering to feed the homeless and participating in numerous charitable activities. Laverne knew scripture and she understood that The Bible teaches that one way for us to grow our faith in God is through giving and that "a generous soul will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25). Laverne knew how to provide that emotional refreshment, and in return God blessed her with family and friends that returned the favor. Surely, goodness and mercy has followed Laverne in the days of her life and now she has left us to dwell in the house of the Lord where she will reunite with her sister, Arelene and Arelene's kids, her late niece and nephew Sharon and Jamal.

Laverne is survived by plenty of family to include her son, Corey; siblings, Butch, Pat, Ronnie, Carol, Dean, Linda, Pam, Shelly, Connie, Ricky, and Edward; nieces, Robin, Sharon, Debara, Tiffany, Monique, Shanna and Avery; nephews, Marvin, Sean, Amari, Amani, Jamal, Jason, and Joseph; stepchildren, Nerland, Darlene, Roland Jr.; and her godchildren, Marilyn and Maurice.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home.  Viewing will be from 3-6 p.m. on Monday, September 18, 2023 at the funeral home.  O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.