Mrs. Lois Boyd Williams' Obituary
Lois Boyd Williams, 80, left her earthly home on January 22, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was born February 9, 1937, to William Robert and Bessie Harness Boyd, the seventh of eleven children, in Pearland, Brazoria County, Texas. She grew up in Alvin, Texas, attended Alvin Schools and graduated with the Class of 1955. She then went on to earn an Associate Degree from Alvin Junior College. She began her church life as a child at First Christian Church in Alvin. Learning about God at her mother’s knee, she began her life long relationship with her Heavenly Father and the Church. She enjoyed singing with her siblings. While visiting family in El Paso, Texas, she met SSG Jimmy Ray Williams serving in the U.S. Army. They were married November 27, 1960. Jimmy left the Army to pursue his studies in theology and Lois began her ministry as a wife of a Baptist minister, relocating several times as they were called to various churches across the country. Besides Texas, she has lived in Idaho, Missouri, Kentucky and Arizona. She was a mother and raised their two children, Rebekah and Travis, with a firm hand, but loving and gentle heart, making sure they knew the Bible and teachings of Christ. She always put others first and quietly changed peoples’ lives. As well as keeping house and raising children, teaching Sunday School and being involved with church activities, she helped support the family by teaching at a colored pre-school in the years of segregation, and substitute teaching, as well as secretarial work. From her, her children learned the differences between races in no way cause one to be inferior to the other that differences in peoples’ physical attributes were similar to the differences of flowers – all kinds are needed for a beautiful garden. She taught all people are God’s children and should be respected.
In 1994 Lois retired as a secretary in Human Resources at Amoco Chemical, in Texas City, Texas, where she was well respected. Although she and her husband of 39 years divorced in 1999, they continued as close friends and remained as bonded parents to their children. Their care and concern for one another through the years is an example to us all. Lois was a long-time member of Highland Baptist church in LaMarque, Texas where she enjoyed singing in the choir. In her later years, she returned to her hometown of Alvin, Texas and joined South Park Baptist Church, where she was involved with the “Keenage Khorale”, ministering to nursing homes and singing in South Park’s choir. She enjoyed getting together with family, friends and schoolmates. She was an avid reader, loved all word puzzles, and kept up correspondence with her far-flung family and friends she had made over the years.
In 2015, she moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to be near her daughter. She remained active in different activities such as book club and was a participating member of the Nancy Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She continued to attend religious services and kept her Bible by her side. Her daughter was with her when she took her final breath on earth to go to her home in Heaven where she will once again see loved ones who pre-deceased her: her infant daughter, Sarah Kay Williams, her beloved parents, and beloved siblings, Elizabeth Boyd Stevenson and Larry Boyd. She is survived by daughter, Rebekah Lynn Williams Cessna (Mac) of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, grandchildren Carson Ray and Skyla Lynn Cessna, Shamra Williams-Hussein of Ames, Iowa, and great-grandson Tristan John Williams, her son, Travis Ray Williams of San Antonio, Texas, granddaughter Nerissa Williams Jones (Tommy), of Galveston, Texas, and expecting a great-granddaughter in March. She is also survived by her siblings: William Boyd, Jane Boyd Bohannon and Martha Boyd Peterson, of Alvin, Joseph Boyd (Wilda) of Lebanon, IN, Donald Boyd (Margarita), Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, Frances Boyd Rhodes (Harold), of Dallas, Texas, Rachel Boyd Moll, of Seffner, FL, Wayne Boyd (Kay), and special Sister in Law, Madra Sue Rhoades Boyd, of Cypress Texas, as well as numerous nieces, nephews Cousins and friends.
She is also survived by her former husband, Jimmy Ray Williams, Step-daughter, Janet Williams Corn (Teddy), step-grandchildren Andrea Little, Jada Pritchett, Michael Stewart, Jr., Brendan Stewart, all of Etowah, TN and their children.
Special thanks to Dr. Hassan Chahadeh of Houston, without whom we may not have had these blessed last three years.
Special thanks also to the caregivers at the Terrace of Mountain Creek,, and the caregivers of Bright Star, in Chattanooga, TN , for their compassionate care, and to Susan Ashburn of Marion County, TN for her devotion to our mother.
Visitation will be held Thursday, February 1, 2018, 4 to 7 p.m., at South Park Funeral Home, 1310 North Main Street, Pearland, Texas, 77581. Funeral Services will be at South Park on Friday, February 2nd, followed by a brief graveside service.
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