Derrick Marcel Williams, Sr.

A Celebration of Life for Derrick Marcel Williams, Sr., 66, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at First Baptist of Minden, 301 Pennsylvania Ave., Minden, Louisiana. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2025 at Mt. Zion CME Church, 414 E. Union St., Minden, Louisiana. An additional visitation will be held Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until time of service. Burial will be held at Point Pleasant Cemetery in Homer, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Reverend TJ Davis.

Derrick was born August 6, 1958, to loving parents in Prichard, Alabama. He was the second born of five. Derrick was a fun-loving man who believed in family first. He never met a stranger or anyone who did not perceive him as a friend, a mentor, or a big brother. Derrick’s principle belief, of which he lived, “Friendship is Essential to the Soul.” His status, reflected by his intelligence, was not his priority in life.

Derrick accepted Christ at an early age. He was baptized and received spiritual leadership from Rev. Leroy Boykins (deceased), Pastor, Central Missionary Baptist Church, Prichard, AL. He later united with Bethel AME Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan. After his retirement, he settled with his wife and family in Shreveport, Louisiana, and attended Mt. Zion CME in Minden, Louisiana.

His elementary education was received at Ella Grant School, Prichard, AL. Derrick maintained above average grades in every subject, thriving in math and science. Upon completion of the sixth grade, Derrick attended and graduated in 1976 with honors from Mattie T. Blount High School, Prichard, AL. He received a full academic, four-year scholarship, tuition, books and fees to Clark College, Atlanta, Georgia, (Clark Atlanta University) receiving a BS in Finance and Accounting. He later obtained a Master of Art degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan and an Executive MBA degree from Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania. 

Immediately after receiving his BS degree (1981), Derrick received many employment offers and accepted an amazing offer in Toledo, OH, joining the Hydra-Matic division- which later became Powertrain starting his long career with General Motors. He quickly advanced and transitioned up to the Corporate Business Support for North American Operations staff. In 1998, Derrick joined Delphi Steering in Saginaw, Michigan as assistant finance director. He became finance director North American Operations, at Delphi Packard Electric Systems in Warren, Ohio the following year. He was named assistant treasurer and later was appointed executive director of finance results for Delphi Corporation, Jan. 2003-June 2005. Derrick retired in 2011 from the corporate office, Luxembourg, Germany as Vice President, Finance and Planning, for Delphi Powertrain Systems and Vice President of Finance for Delphi Europe, Middle East and Africa Delphi Corporation. In 2004, Derrick became a Board of Trustees member of Clark Atlanta University, a position he maintained until his passing.

Derrick established the Doris Faye Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund, awarding scholarships to minority students attending four-years colleges or universities. He was a recipient of the Powell Williams Holly Alumnus of the Year Award and Omega Unsung Hero of the Year, 2022. Some of his organizational memberships included The National Association of Black Accountants, and National Black MBA Association. He was a “genuine 100% Omega Man”, life member, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

Derrick was preceded in his journey to heaven by his mother, Doris “Faye” Williams; his daughter, Deirdre Monique Williams; youngest sister, Joann Williams (Alvin, deceased) Duffey; grandmother, Estelle Anderson; uncle, James William Levingston; aunt, Minnie Levingston; great-aunt, Mayme Cunningham and niece and nephews, SaVongah Williams, Lamar Williams, Antron Willis, and Jaeden Williams.

He leaves to cherish his memories, his wife of 33 years, Sandra Willams; sons, Derrick (Andretta) Williams II of Cypress, TX and Darryl (Sara) Williams of Minden, LA; daughters, Brittany Williams of Fort Worth, TX and Deandra Williams of Shreveport, LA; younger and only brother, Roderick (Dazzerine, “Dazz” ) Williams of Ashburn, VA; sisters, LaRhonda Stewart ( Leandrew ) Pears of Mobile, AL and Cynthia Brown of Prichard, AL; grandson, Duke Marcel Williams; granddaughter, Adele Marsell Williams; uncle, Willie Anderson of Prichard, AL; aunt, Vivian Hollins of Mobile, AL; his father and mother in-law, Theron ( Bertha) Winzer; sister-in-law, Stephanie Winzer of Minden, LA; “special brother”, Denny ( Stacy ) Calloway of Little Elm, Texas; special “lil sister”, Leslie Best of Detroit, Michigan and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and members of Rho Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

Join the zoom meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81876290858?pwd=mj80H8Pdy6TETnRpvX6nDye7oetSZa.1 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to the Derrick M. Williams Memorial Scholarship, https://secure.givelively.org/donate/clark-atlanta-university-inc/derrick-m-williams-memorial-scholarship