Cathy Andrews

1956 - 2020

ALTON — Shari Virginia Andrews passed away at the age of 64 on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020.

Shari was born June 1, 1956 in Alton, Illinois, to Virginia Tyler Williams and Clayton Richard Williams.

After graduating from Alton High School, Shari enrolled at Illinois State University and majored in communications. Following her graduation from Illinois State, Shari worked in St. Louis, Missouri, at KMOV-TV as a producer for on-air news personnel.

While working there, Shari and Eddie Andrews III, an engineer at the station met, became engaged and married in Nov. 1980.

Shari and Eddie moved to San Francisco, California, in April 1985; where Shari was trained and worked as a Financial Services Counselor with the Charles Schwab Investment Company and other investment firms while Ed worked at KPIX-TV.

Shari and Ed were blessed by the birth of their daughter, Jamila Aisha Andrews on June 12,1993 while living in Emeryville, California.

During their residence there, Shari enjoyed serving on the Emeryville City Planning Committee and was an active member of First A.M.E. Church in Oakland, California.

Following an amicable divorce from Ed, Shari and Jamila moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Jamila completed High School and began attending Harold Washington Community College.

While living in Chicago, Shari started a retail floral business which she continued to develop until moving back to Alton in Nov. 2016 to be with and assist her father as his health began to fail.

In Chicago, Shari was a member of Quinn Chapel A.M.E church.

Upon her return to Alton, Shari began to help with the organizing of The Clayton and Virginia Williams Foundation; a not for profit advocacy organization that was being set up to honor the community efforts and people that her parents had supported and hoped could continue.

In time Shari began to chair the Foundation's Civic Involvement Advocacy Group; for which she successfully collaborated with many friends, relatives, acquaintances and other justice seeking and education oriented organizations.

Shari was inducted into Sigma Gamma Rho sorority while an undergraduate at Illinois State University and remained an active member.

She became a member of Shalom Church of Peace in Florissant, Missouri; was an active member of the National Council of Negro Woman – Alton Branch; the NAACP and supported the work of the YWCA of Alton.

Shari's parents, Clayton Williams, a retired Illinois Circuit Court Associate Judge and Virginia Tyler Williams, a retired teacher in Alton, preceded her in death.

She is survived by her only child, Jamila Aisha Andrews; and her ex-husband Eddie Andrews III who moved from San Antonio, Texas, to Alton in 2019 to be close to Shari and their daughter.

She is also survived by and remembered with love by her aunt, Nancy Williams of Alton; and her dear cousin, Melinda Tyler of San Francisco;

Shari, an only child, is survived by many cousins, special friends, sorority sisters and neighbors who shared her love for GOD, gardening, music and warm friendship.

While in hospice care, Shari often expressed love and appreciation for the deep and continued love and devotion shown by Eddie and Jamila; and her dear and longtime friends from childhood: Regina Edwards, Denise Greene, Lisa Andrews and Shari's beloved dog, Zeus.

She was very thankful for the love and support that Yvonne Campbell has shown for Jamila.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in memory of Shari to: The Clayton and Virginia Williams Foundation; the NCNW – Alton Branch; the NAACP or the Alton YWCA.

Walk through Visitation Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. until private service for family only at 11 a.m. at Cathy M. Williams & Sons Funeral Home in Alton.

Burial St. Joseph Cemetery.