Deacon Willie Williams

Deacon Willie “Paw-Paw” Williams was born on August 20, 1919, in Waterproof, Louisiana, and transitioned from labor to glory on July 2, 2021, at the great age of 101 at his residence.

Willie moved along with his family to South Bend, Indiana in 1929. Paw-Paw was drafted in World War II in 1940 and was stationed in Papua, New Guinea. He was Honorably Discharged after serving five years and gaining the rank of Staff Sargent in 1945. Paw-Paw was always known as a hard worker; his work history included working for Clark, Studebaker, and A.M General where he worked from 1945 and retiring in 1985, after 40 years; he then drove the bus for Head Start from 1985-2003. After fully retiring, he would work on lawn equipment; he stayed busy working, and folks kept him busy. Our Paw-Paw was a FAITHFUL member of Pentecostal Cathedral C.O.G.I.C. where he served as an usher, deacon, trustee board member, and president of the V.I.P department under the leadership of Bishop Donald L. Alford Sr. He would regularly attend Bible Study on Tuesday nights where his job would be filling the pop and ice in the cooler, a duty which he took very very seriously; he would go to the church at 9:00 p.m M-S when he would be the trustee of the week and turn off the church alarm. He performed these tasks up until he turned 90.

Deacon Williams had received many awards in his lifetime, and held an award in his name at Pentecostal “Willie Williams Lifetime Award”. Being honored for his 100th birthday he was featured on WNDU news by the American Legion Rider. You could often see Willie at Kroger talking to everyone in the store and the employees; or at the Ardmore hardware store.

Paw-Paw SPOILED Granny. He loved, loved, loved her. Paw-Paw showed us what being a great husband was and provided for his entire family. Any of us could call on our Paw-Paw and he would be there at the drop of a pin. He would come and do work on different family members' houses or cars if needed; he was a jack of all trades. Paw-Paw loved baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers being his favorite team. 

Along with his wife Catherine, survivors left to cherish Paw-Paw's memories include two sons: Tarrance Frierson of California and Willie Williams of Kentucky; five daughters whom he accepted the role as father: Vanessa Hill, Pamela (Earl) Townsend, Sheila (Tommy) Stokes all of South Bend, Kathy Kirkendoll of Austin, Texas, and Tonya (Carl) Wiggins of East Orange, New Jersey; sisters-in-law: Dorothy Hill of Georgia, and Pearline Hamilton of South Bend. He also leaves 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; one godson, Patric Owens; and one goddaughter, Quila Osborn; a special son, Elder Maurice Hackney; and an honorary son and daughter, Viola and Ernest McClenty; along with a host of nieces and nephews. 

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