Shirley Mae Williams

A LIFE OF ACHIEVEMENT

The time [1865-1877] was Reconstruction. The Civil War was over; slavery was dead; and African Americans across the South were looking forward to prosperity and a better way of life. During the 1880s, homesteaders from Hazelhurst Township, Mississippi, and Lexington County, South Carolina started their separate group trek on the Indian trail to the fertile soil of Grant County, Arkansas, as homesteaders. These first-generation migrants were Lawrence Williams [1844-unknown] and his wife, Mattie Williams [1863-unknown], from Copiah County, Mississippi, and Reverend William Guest Willingham [1860-1931] and his wife, Harriet Drucilla Robinson Willingham [1862-1935], from Lexington County, South Carolina. The latter two couples were the great grandparents of Shirley Mae Williams. Shirley's paternal grandparents were Lushion "Charlie" Williams [1888-1957] and Mattie Woods Williams [1891-1979]. Lushion Williams was a turn of the twentieth-century General Motors worker, a railroad man, and a Sheridan, Arkansas, paper mill employee. Shirley's maternal grandparents were Thomas Jefferson "TJ" Willingham [1895-1960] and Assie Lee Jimmie Monts Willingham [1898-1955]. Thomas Willingham was a pulpwood contractor, mill manager, pea thrasher, and a public worker while cultivating 160 acres of land. Shirley's parents were Eunice Williams [1918-1999] who played semi-professional baseball in the Negro League in the 1930s and 1940s, worked at the General Motors Plant in Saginaw, Michigan, became a truck driver and mill worker and retired with the rank of Patrolman First Class at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Shirley's mother, Dorothy Mae Willingham Williams [1926-1998], studied at the famed Madam C. J. Walker Beauty School of Pine Bluff where she successfully passed state requirements to practice cosmetology in Arkansas for forty years. Eunice and Dorothy Williams were the parents of eleven children: Evester Louise, Bettye Jean, Shirley Mae, Brenda Frances, Margarette Ann, Charles Lewis, N. Lucille, Sterlin Dwayne, Ted Winston, Robin Nikita, and Sonnya Natria. Together with Shirley, all the children aspired to life's promises and potential.

The third child, Shirley was born on May 28, 1948, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. An actively engaged little girl, Shirley sought solace as a free spirit in the home. She was a model big sister to her younger siblings while accepting parental household responsibilities without clamor or disagreement. Taking part as a youth usher and choir member, Shirley joined New Town Baptist Church under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Samuel Moses Taylor when she was twelve years old. Many years later, she joined First Baptist Highland Park Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. She received her early education in the Dollarway School District in Pine Bluff, graduating in the Class of 1966, from Townsend Park High School. In 1970, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics at Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College (AM&N), now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). After graduation, she became a Mathematics instructor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff for three years, while fulfilling requirements-during the summer-for a Master's Degree from the University of Arkansas, at Fayetteville (UAF) in 1973. Additional Studies were attained at Washington University, in St. Louis, and Webster University, in Little Rock. Education was always of significant importance to her. Shirley was honored with the title of "Miss Alumni of UAPB" during the "Homecoming" festivities, in November 1988.

From 1973-1975, while working in Little Rock, Shirley immersed herself in corporate management at Southwestern Bell. As a Management Trainee (Inventory Engineer), she coordinated central office non-data special service circuits and other circuit equipment with other departments and vendors to ensure timeliness of installation. Further, she reviewed financial data in cost studies provided by Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) in Arkansas. From 1975-1978, at Southwestern Bell in St. Louis, she was a "Staff Specialist-Forecast Supervisor" and "Staff Specialist-Cost Studies." She supervised one, first-line manager. Her forecasting group provided detailed local area forecasts of customer demand for telecommunication services of all types, and analyzed financial results, explained deviations, and determined need for interim rate revisions. From 1979 to her retirement, on April 3, 2000, she was "Area Manager: Staff Specialist, Industry Relations," where she supervised one, first-line manager and two clerical persons. Again in Little Rock, her team of three prepared, compiled, coordinated, monitored, and interpreted the expenses budget, together with the capitol budget and force budget for the Department and one Division.

Shirley accumulated more than fifty years of community work. Strengthening the community and improving the quality of life for children, youth, and adults were her signal achievements. Working with groups which trained children and adults in critical thinking, cultural competence, technical literacy, collaboration, communication, and wellness initiatives, Shirley served on the following Boards: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Board of Visitors; Pineywoods Board of Directors; Little Rock Metro YMCA Board of Directors; Pulaski County Single Parent Scholarship Board; UAPB National Alumni Board of Directors; U of A Black Alumni Society; Little Rock UAPB Alumni Chapter; Old State House Board of Directors; Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Board; and Hall High School Future Business Leadership Advisory Board.

Shirley went to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 25, 2025, in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her parents; her older sister, Evester Louise Williams Darrough [2008]; her brother-in-law, James Darrough, Sr. [2017]; her brother, Charles Lewis Williams [2015]; her niece, Tonya Natria Darrough [2010]; and her nephew, Terrance Durand Dilworth [2024]. Her precious memory will be cherished by two brothers, Sterlin D. (Priscilla) Williams of Southhaven, Mississippi and Ted W. Williams of Taylor, Michigan; six sisters, Dr. Bettye J. Williams and Dr. Margarette A. (Lewis) Williams of Pine Bluff; Dr. Brenda F. Williams Graham of Melrose Park, Illinois; N. Lucille Williams Gilkey of Fort Worth, Texas; Robin N. Williams of Little Rock; and Sonnya N. Williams (Dwight, Sr.) Adams of Wichita, Kansas; nephews, James Darrough, Jr., of Flint, Michigan; Marcus Graham of Dolton, Illinois; Lee Andrew (Megan) Riley of Topeka, Kansas; Jermaire Gilkey of Arlington, Texas; Ronald JaRay Brown of Little Rock; Dwight D. Adams, Jr. and Desmond D. Adams of Wichita; nieces, Alsera Graham Hayes, of Westmont, Illinois; Tangela Graham (Vincent) Johnson of Oswego, Illinois; Marceinia L. Williams (Gregory) Peoples of Pine Bluff; Lyska Jolunda Williams Dilworth of Fort Smith, Arkansas; Brittany Graham (Efraim) Hernandez of Chicago, Illinois; Alexis S. Williams of Southhaven; Taylor Williams and Mariah Williams of Taylor; Jada Baylark (Kenmar) Mowatt of Boston, Massachusetts; and Dawn D. Adams of Wichita; grand nephews, Kameron D. Jones of Chicago; Keith J. Hayes and Karson D. Hayes of Phoenix, Arizona; Zion Graham of Chicago; Malcolm Lewis Peoples of Eldorado, Arkansas; Jordan Terrance (Alisha) Dilworth, Jayden Durand Dilworth, and Johnathan William Dilworth of Fort Smith; and DeAndra Darrough of Wichita: grand nieces, Diamond Graham of Chicago; Ashley N. Darrough of Flint; Maya Elyse Peoples of Pine Bluff; Macelia M. Hernandez of Chicago; and Millieanna Sky Riley, Malea Riley, and Marley Riley of Topeka; great grandnephew, Alijah Jordan Terrrance Dilworth of Fort Smith; great grand nieces, Dior Paige and Ca'lee Trent of Chicago; and a host of cousins and many loyal and supportive friends.

For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind. And His faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation.

Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at Brown Funeral Home, Pine Bluff, AR.

Funeral service 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at New Town Missionary Baptist Church, Pine Bluff, AR. Pastor Theophilus Smith officiating. Interment in Forest Lawn Memorial Garden, Pine Bluff, AR. Her body will lie in-state from 9:45 a.m. until service time.

Obituary submitted by the Family.