Reverend Lj Williams

Reverend LJ Williams left this life and transitioned to his celestial home on February 22, 2018. He was born on July 4, 1925 in Sallis, Mississippi to McCoy and Emma Williams.

When he turned 18, LJ left the United States by ship to take part in World War II. He landed on the Beach of Omaha in France, serving honorably until his discharge. Upon returning to Kosciusko, Mississippi after completing his military service, LJ heard about work in Muskegon, Michigan. He worked as a laborer at Campbell Wyant and Cannon in Muskegon, Michigan before being hired by General Motors (Chevrolet Grey Iron Foundry) in Saginaw, Michigan. He retired after 35 years of service, having not missed one day of work, and also serving as a Committeeman.He was affiliated with UAW Local 668. LJ met and married Jestene Sherman in Saginaw, and together they had 3 children. During this time it was very important to him that his family move from the south and secure employment in Saginaw. One by one, Daddy sent for his family until all of his siblings and mother and father lived in Saginaw.

Since Daddy had to work in the fields during his childhood it was difficult to attend school. While married and with 3 children, he went back to School and received his high school diploma from Saginaw High School. Education was important to Daddy and when we were little kids he bought us a little blue typewriter with a self-teaching album so we could all learn to type and help him type his papers for school and later his sermons.

Dad did a self-study program in cooling and refrigeration; he received his certificates and would work on other people’s appliances for extra money. He and his brother, Roy, opened up a restaurant where he employed his niece, Dorothy, and his children. Prior to his ordination as a minister in February, 1967, LJ was a devoted Deacon at True Vine Baptist Missionary Church under the leadership of the late Pastor R. B. Corley, Sr. He loved ministering to people, avidly studied the Bible and loved to visit the sick and shut- in. Following his retirement from GM, he obtained a Bachelors of Arts from American Baptist College of Theology and a Master of Divinity degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in June, 1997.

Daddy took us to countless fairs, visits to the circus, trips down south and every high school basketball game that Saginaw High School played because he loved to follow the basketball games his nephew, Herb, played in. He loved fishing, hunting and sports. He thought family was so important that he started the tradition of “All of us” congregating “Every” single Sunday over to our grandparent’s home for Sunday dinners which was our weekly family reunion.

Daddy married Sammie in July, 1989 in Chicago, Illinois; they were married until her passing in February, 2016. They enjoyed many trips to the South, baseball games, and church activities at Emmanuel Baptist Church. He loved Pastors Curry and Jackson of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and was very devoted to the mission of the Church as an associate minister.

He leaves to cherish his memories one son, Terry L. (Brenda) Williams, Perrysburg, Ohio; two daughters, Emma R. Jackson and Wanda R. Williams (Daniel Thomas), Lansing, Michigan; stepdaughter, Chardell Ross (John Ross), Chicago, Illinois; grandchildren, Thomas V. Jackson (Lee), Uppsala Sweden, Brag g’i Williams, Dublin Ohio, Dominick Williams, Greensboro, North Carolina, Michael and Marcel Jackson, Lansing, Michigan; five great-grandchildren; extended family of Chicago, Illinois, Elliot S., Marquita D. Hanus and Marshan G. Johnson; special nephew, Hubert Williams, who brought him food and brought family to visit him; the last remaining brother, Dennis Williams; special cousin, Richard Joiner, who joined in looking out for him when he lived in Chicago; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Reverend LJ Williams was preceded in death by his wife, Sammie Williams; parents, McCoy and Emma Williams; daughter, Edna C. Wright, brothers LC, Hubert, Roy, Ed and Herbert Williams; sisters, Myrtle D. Riley and Perry Lee Brown; special friend, Doc Bates, and his former wife, Jestine Williams.

In the words of his daughter, Wanda … In his final days when asked how he felt about death he said, “I want to go peacefully. When the Lord is ready for me, I’m ready to go.” When I walked out the door Daddy looked at me and said… ”I want to go home.”