Velma Williams

Velma Williams, 89, Normal, died at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday (July 5, 2011) in her home.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at Union Missionary Baptist Church, where visitation will be one hour prior to services. Pastor Phenues Bush will officiate. Interment will be held at East Lawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in her memory. East Lawn Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences may be submitted to www.EastLawn-Bloomington.com.

Velma was born October 15, 1921 in Hughes, Arkansas, a daughter of H. Howard and Freddie Whitmore Howard. She moved to Charleston, Mo. in 1924. She spent early years in Charleston and was baptized at Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church where she sang in the choir. She moved to Bloomington in June of 1956. She joined Union Missionary Baptist Church in 1974 where she sang in the choir in her early years and served as a Mother of the church in her later years. Velma served as a foster parent for the Baby Fold and mother to a host of neighborhood children. She is lovingly known by the neighborhood children as “Granny”. She loved fishing, babysitting, sewing, knitting, and cooking.

Velma is survived by her husband, Mel Williams Sr., four sons, Mack (Marlene) Thomas, James (Minnie) Farris, Melvin Williams, and Corey (Stacey) Sharp , two daughters, Mary Williams and Helen Phillips, 15 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and family friends. Her mother, father, 4 sisters, 5 brothers, and 1 son-n-law, Roscoe Phillips, preceded her in death.