Deanna McPherson Williams, age 94, was born in Quincy, Florida on October 5, 1922, to the parentage of Steve and Mittie Melissa McPherson. Mother fell asleep on January 3, 2017, ceasing from all labor in this life, having worked out her soul's salvation as a testimony to all that knew her. She kept the faith; she finished her course. Mother Williams was united in Holy Matrimony with the late Elder John Morgan Williams, Sr. Six sons and three daughters were born. Sons: the late Earl Lee Williams; John Morgan Williams, Jr. (Anita) and Gregory Andrew Williams (Freddie) of Dallas, Texas; Gary Joseph Williams, Micah Malone Williams (Pam) and Joel Dean Williams of Ocala, Florida (her caretaker in the later years of her life). Daughters: Glenn Etta Williams of Gainesville, Florida; the late Brenda Ann Williams; and Jennifer Casandra Williams of Springfield, Illinois. There are 25 grandchildren and many, many great-grandchildren born as a result of this union. Mother was known to most as 'Mother.' When Mother and Daddy united, they moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL where little is known about her in her youth, she worked as a Receptionist in one of South Florida's first medical facilities for blacks in the 1940's, known as Provident Hospital, in the offices of Florida's early black doctors: Dr. Sistrunk, Dr. Mizell, Dr. Shirley and Dr. Brown. Mother left an impact of holy living, serving God, working tirelessly in the home, serving her church families, her children, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. Her impact is ever-lasting: her modeling of strength of character, grace in both adversity and pleasant times, gentleness in speech, firmness in her beliefs, will live on forever.
Mother was laid to rest on January 9, 2017, at the Pine Grove cemetery in Gainesville, Florida.