Helen Marie Gibson-Beaver

Helen Marie Gibson Beaver, wife of Carl Edward Beaver II, passed away on March 9, 2026, in Pawleys Island, SC, after a long courageous battle with cancer.

She was born August 19, 1957, in Sumter, SC. Marie was the daughter of the late Myrtle Billups Gibson and James Savage Gibson, Sr. She was the fifth child in a

family of six children and is survived by James Savage Gibson, Jr. (Weezie), Jack Williamson Gibson, Kathy Gibson Murdock (Fonnice), and Elaine Gibson Secrist (B.B.), along with multiple nieces and nephews who adored their Rie Rie. She was preceded in death by Clara Dove Gibson Ward.

She was a graduate of Wilson Hall and Clemson University, where she became an avid Tiger fan. Many lives were touched in a positive way by Marie over years of counseling, and she was especially successful in helping turn so many lives around. Marie had an uncanny ability to reach people in a deep and positive way.

After she and Carl were married, she moved to make a home with him in Charleston, West Virginia, his hometown. It was there that Marie developed the Rea of Hope organization, with great support of the citizens and businesses of Charleston. Rea of Hope is an abstinence based, 12 step oriented, personal responsibility driven sober living home for WV women and their children. Countless women’s lives were turned around under Marie’s expertise and guidance, and the Rea of Hope program grew from a single residence to six residences for each level of success, where the graduates of the program could live, if needed, with their children.

Upon retirement, Carl and Marie moved to be near Marie’s favorite spot, the beach, and settled in Pawley’s Island where they joined St. Paul’s Waccamaw Methodist Church. This Church family has become family to Carl and Marie.

Services will be at 10:30 am on Saturday, March 21, at St. Paul’s Methodist

Church, Pawley’s Island, SC. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Rea of Hope, 1429 Lee Street East, Charleston, WV 25301 or www.reaofhope.org. Burroughs Funeral Home is serving the family.