Kaylyn Noelle Williford

Our hearts are grieving in the loss of our beloved Kaylyn Noelle Williford, who suffered a massive heart attack and passed away at home in her mother’s arms on January 4, 2025, and is now with her Lord Jesus. She was three days shy of her 48th birthday and an appointment with a cardiologist.

Kaylyn was born in Houston, Texas on January 7, 1977. When her parents moved to the Chicago area, Kaylyn attended College of DuPage in Glenn Ellyn, IL and then studied early childhood education at Winthrop University when she accompanied her parents in a move to Charlotte, NC.

Over the course of her career in childhood education, Kaylyn taught preschool at several schools, most recently at Calvary Church Child Development Center, where she had worked since 2013. Kaylyn adored introducing two and three-year-old children to the Bible through prayer and Bible stories. She had a gift of taking Bible stories and putting them into song with her beautiful voice.

Kaylyn made friends not only with her children but with the children’s parents, telling them that as long as their children were in her class, she was a member of their family. She had a strong work ethic, always reliable and doing what was asked with a smile on her face and exuding passion for her children. Every morning, she would arrive at work early so she could pray over every classroom on her wing before the children arrived.

Kaylyn was steadfast in her Christian faith, believed in the power of prayer, and enjoyed reading books on eschatology. She had a great love for Christmas and Easter and what they stood for, as well as the Jewish Feasts of the Lord and how they pointed to Jesus. She was a small group leader for a women’s Bible Study at Carmel Baptist, teaching women of all ages.

Enjoying “girl time” with her mom on trips to Myrtle Beach were highlights of each year, and she treasured watching Hallmark movies with happy endings with her mom on Sunday afternoons. She also spent many happy hours with her mom decorating her townhouse, especially decorating for Christmas.

Though Kaylyn was a bit unlucky in love, she never became bitter, believing that being single was God’s plan for her.

She loved her older sister, Danya, and wished she lived closer to her to enjoy her gourmet cooking, often not knowing what she was eating.

Kaylyn adored her niece Adelyn and loved Adelyn’s sense of humor, including many comments Adelyn made not knowing she was being funny and enjoyed her many talents. She loved her cat, Josiah Malachi (affectionately known as “Joey”), who has an extremely sweet disposition and will terribly miss her.

Preceded in death are her grandparents, R.A. and Ila Williford of Kountze, TX and Harold and Virginia Evans of Rising Star, TX; her uncle Jimmy Evans of Cleveland, TX; and her uncle and aunt Allen and Mary Margaret Williford of Pasadena, Texas.

Kaylyn is survived by her parents, Jerry and Harolyn Williford of Charlotte, NC; her sister Danya Goerig, husband Edward, and daughter Adelyn of Houston, TX; aunt Mary Ann Evans of Cleveland, TX; cousins Bruce and Debra Williford of Huntsville, TX, Albert and Karen Shade of Riverside, CA, and Brent and Shannon Williford of College Station, TX and their families.

Kaylyn loved to serve others, and in her passing she has fulfilled her wish to become an organ donor where she will be able to help up to fifty people.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of Kaylyn’s favorite organizations, Friends for Special Needs, in Waxhaw, NC.

A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for Friday, January 10, 2025 at 10 am at Carmel Baptist Church located at 1145 Pineville-Matthews Road in Matthews, NC, followed by visitation.