The 25th of August marks one year since Ms. Jean C. Williams celebrated her much anticipated 90th birthday.
That weekend, family, some traveling from states over, gathered at her home in Linden, Alabama. Celebrating with her were her two daughters, Minette Henson and Melinda Smith; her beloved sons-in-law, Arthur and Jeff; her honorary daughter, Martha Lawrence (MichaelI); her husband’s namesake, David; many other grandchildren, great grandchildren, and other cherished family members; her best friends, too many to name, including her quilting club; and plenty of dogs, as usual. Ms. Jean took the opportunity of the gathering to express her love and gratitude for those around her.
The following week, in the early hours of September 4, Ms. Jean left her earthly obligations behind, surrounded by love and warmth in the comfort of the house she crafted into a home.
She was welcomed on the other side by her daughter, Brenda; her husband of 30 years, David Earl Williams; her father, Leroy “Blackie” Bowen; five older brothers, Cecil, John, Blackie, Red, and Leroy Jr.; and reunited with so many other friends, family, and beloved pets (whom she’d considered family members as well), including her sweet pup Daisy Mae, who Ms. Jean insisted “didn’t know she was a dog.”
She made her mark in any place she lived, growing up a daddy’s girl in Houston, Texas; living independently as a young woman in Los Angeles, California; raising a family with her husband in Clarke County, Mississippi; living and working in Boca Raton, Florida; and retiring to live next to her family in Linden, Alabama.
Ms. Jean’s accomplishments run far and wide. She spent many years as a bookkeeper for a highway construction firm; served her community as Town Clerk; and in the late 80s became the first woman appointed as sheriff in Clarke County, Mississippi. She was an avid reader, a skilled seamstress, and a great storyteller. In retirement, she stayed physically and mentally active, enjoying gardening, sewing, genealogy research, and mysteries and puzzles of any kind. She took time to travel to visit those she loved, and at home, she devoted countless hours to making beautiful quilts, which still bring comfort to the homes they were given.
Ms. Jean, “Mama,” “Mamaw,” lived her full 90 years of life as someone who could do just about anything she set her intention to. She rests easy knowing her canine companion, Dottie, continues to be loved and pampered by her family.
Submitted by Family
