Martha Hollis Williams

ROCK HILL - Martha Hollis Williams died Friday, July 9, 2010, at Westminster Health Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

She was born Nov. 28, 1924, in the Pleasant Grove Community in Chester County. Her parents were Daniel Saye Hollis of the Pleasant Grove Methodist Church congregation and Maude McFadden Hollis of the Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church congregation. The family moved to Rock Hill during the Depression. Martha grew up on Eden Terrace, across the street from Winthrop Training School, where she was a student from kindergarten through high school, graduating in 1941. She attended Winthrop College, graduating with a degree in Home Economics in 1944, and started teaching school in Ware Shoals, S.C., at the age of 19. Martha married Charles Edgar Williams Jr., also a Rock Hill native, in 1948. They lived in Greenville, S.C., where the two older children were born. They moved to Rock Hill, their hometown, in 1954, and settled in the Lesslie Community. Edgar Williams died April 27, 1995.

The family was very active at Neely's Creek ARP Church and Martha was a long-time member of the choir and was very active in the women's ministry work. Martha was also especially known for her cooking skills and her concern for others in the church and community.

Martha worked for many years as the office manager of Williams Engineering, Inc., her husband's consulting firm.

Martha and Edgar are survived by their four children, Edgar (Eddie) G. Williams and his wife, Carol, Elizabeth (Libby) Williams Draffin and her husband, the Rev. Calvin, Daniel (Dan) H. Williams and his wife, Paula, and Jane Williams Southwell and her husband, Steve; seven grandchildren, Jenny and Matt Williams, Leslie and Martha Draffin, Daniel Williams, and Rob and Sally Southwell; and one great-grandchild, Cameron Hadden-Draffin.

Martha's funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 12, 2010, at Neely's Creek Church, with the Rev. Dr. Heiko Burklin and the Rev. Jan Senneker officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 11, 2010, at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel, 2133 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, S.C. The family will greet visitors at other times at the Southwell home at 140 Edenvale Road.

Memorials may be made to Neely's Creek ARP Church, Building Fund or The Village at Neely's Creek, 974 Neely's Creek Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730 or Hospice & Community Care, P.O. Box 993, Rock Hill, SC 29731.

The family would like to thank the staff of Westminster Health Center for the loving care and kindness they have consistently shown to Martha for the past six years.

Condolences may be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net.