WILLIAMS, Esther Pauline 1925-2019 On May 7, 2019, eight days after celebrating her 94th birthday, Esther Pauline Williams passed away peacefully at Friends Care Community in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She will be sorely missed by family and friends. Esther worked as a clerkat Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from 1947 to 1965. In 1952, she married Ellis Williams of Kentwood, Louisiana. In 1965, Esther left Wright-Patterson and enrolled in the education program at Central State University.In 1966, she began a teaching career at Cox, Shawnee and Spring Valley Elementary Schools, and in the late 1970s served as Reading Coordinator for elementary schoolsin Xenia. Esthertook graduate courses at Central State and Wright State universities, earning a master's in education and becoming a reading specialist and supervisor of reading instruction in the Xenia school system. She retired in 1985. In later years, Esther was active in the community. She was a regular at Bible Study. She served on the boards of the Xenia Library and the Green County Historical Society (with which she led tours of Underground Railroad stations). She was a devoted member of the Links, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Friends of Payne, and St. Johns/United A.M.E. Church. She served as a Stewardess and,on the Finance Committee. She was a member of Helping Hands and treasurer of the Mildred Payne Johnson Lay Organization. Outside the church, one of Esther's greatest passions was the National Afro-American Museum in Wilberforce, where she served as docent and volunteered in any way she could. Following several falls in 2015, Esther moved into Friends Care Community. She received loving care from Friends and from Vitas Hospice services. She is survived by her brother Laurence and his wife Ingrid, by Earl Stewart and his wife Christine, by cousin's Danielle Daniels, Bonnie and Emerson Williams, Jeannette and Debra Robinson, and other members of her extended family. Service for Esther Williams will be held on Saturday May 11, 2019 at United A.M.E. Church 286 East Church St. Xenia, Ohio. Visitation will be at 10:00am until time of the service which will be at 11:00am with Rev. Dr. John E. Freeman officating. Interment will follow at Massie Creek Cemetery Cederville, Ohio. Arrangements entrusted to Porter-Qualls-Ferrman Funeral Home.
Published in Dayton Daily News on May 9, 2019