NORMAN PARK, Ga. – There is no secret who Santa Claus is for a Florida family. This delivery didn’t come from the North Pole, but Norman Park.

Beverly Bowman, a 67-year-old registered nurse, sees to the care of inmates during the week at the Valdosta State Prison. A dedication to the job on the front line at this point in history is truly needed, and it’s doubly important to keep an eye on the needs within your own household … and the households of ones you hold dearly.

Bowman’s sister, Debra Lee, and her family reside in Panama City. In January 2021, the family will receive some relief in the form of disability payments. But, according to Lee, they’ve had to wait six months for this to kick in. One year ago, before COVID-19 entered the national vocabulary, Debra’s husband fell ill. The doctors discovered a 99 percent blockage in his heart, for which he’s had a stent implanted.

It wasn’t until six months ago that Mr. Lee – the main wage earner for this family – was declared disabled. In stepped Beverly.

“She’s covered a lot of territory. She goes where she’s needed,” said Debra about her sister’s nursing efforts for 40 years in home health care through different hospitals in Georgia, and even a flight to California.

“We never asked her, but she did whatever was needed to make sure the money (to pay our bills) was there. She took it upon herself to buy (Christmas) gifts for our 14-year-old (grandson).”

Whether it was utilities or food, Debra said Beverly took care of it. And that’s been through her own health issues. Even Beverly’s car can’t stay out of the shop, Debra said.

“Everybody’s had it hard,” she said. “She’s had it harder. It’s more than I can put into words.”

“I said, ‘I gotcha,’” said Beverly, stating her sister and brother-in-law have been together for 30 years and that she knew welfare was not the way to go. “They had nobody to turn to. You can’t borrow money if you’re not working. I didn’t want them to lose everything they had.”

And for the Christmas gifts …

“You have to have something to open up.”

Beverly said she even begged her sister to bring everybody up to her Colquitt County home when hurricanes threatened the Florida Panhandle during the busiest season for tropical weather ever.

“We’ll be O.K.,” was the response, and fortunately for the Lees the worst damage in their area was to trees.

“She comes across as rough and tough,” said Debra. “I guess you have to be since she works at a prison. But inside she is tender.”

“It’s not as scary as you might think,” said Beverly about her place of employment. “You see the same people walking around Walmart … different personalities. Some are probably not ever going to be right.”

At the Valdosta facility, Beverly said there can be 30 to 50 inmates at a time, and several during the current pandemic were quarantined until deemed fit to return to the labor force or population in general. She said some of her fellow nurses have been sick from COVID-19, but her own health issues are from different types of ailments.

“I really can’t slow down,” said Beverly. “I couldn’t stop. There are things I need and want to do, and you can’t do on a retirement check. Nurses make decent money, probably not as much as those in the Northeast or out West.”

A portion of her nursing days, which will reach 40 years in May 2021, included riding to Macon two hours for 12 1/2 hour shifts and staying overnight in hotels. Most of her work’s been in ICUs. That routine, however, got old. She’s been with the Valdosta State Prison three years now, stating she has an easy-to-work-with boss who takes good care of her staff.

Her shifts are graveyard, Monday through Friday starting each night at 10 p.m. and ending at 6 the following morning. She said that’s the hours when they want their most experienced nurses on duty.

Originally from Illinois, Beverly was raised in Georgia but returned to her native state to attend college. She also lived for a short time in Tallahassee. She’s made Norman Park her home for 25 years on a street, Mark Orton Lane, named after her late husband. She also lived across the street from her father until his passing 12 years ago.

“I try to be the nurse I want when I’m sick,” said Beverly.