Wilhelmina K. Williamson

Beloved wife of the late James N. Williamson; loving mother of Debra Durr; sister of Adam J. Francis and aunt to LaVerne Curry of Apopka, Florida along with other numerous nieces and nephews. Wilhelmina is preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin R.H. Francis, Sr. and Mary Magdalene Francis; brother Benjamin R. Francis, Jr., sisters Doris Jackson, Clemmie T. Moody and Annie Mae Webber. Her memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved her. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.andrewmcgann.com for the Durr family.

My heart is broken

My mom passed away from injuries sustained at the Park of River Oaks condo building fire, located in Calumet City, Illinois.

Mom was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. Both her parents were pastors’ children, and her father was the Deacon in his church, which she attended (and she loved the LORD). She graduated from Jones High School in 1954 and married in 1955. We moved to Chicago in 1961. She enjoyed watching/listening to David Jeremiah, Michael Youssef, Joel Osteen, Jentezen Franklin, James Merritt and every Wednesday night at 7pm she would watch Salem Baptist Church – Pastor James T. Meeks. About 5 years ago she got me into watching church on TV – she made sure as a child, I grew up saying the bedtime prayer of “Now I lay me down to sleep” and as I got older the Lord’s Prayer and to memorize the 23rd Psalm.

Mom was no-nonsense, old school, tough, spirited , a little naughty, fiercely protective and loyal, generous with her time and wisdom. I could ask and talk to her about anything. She was independent and she always gave and expected 110%. She had a hard outer shell, but she had a soft spot (she donated to Mercy Ships, Operation Smile, Love St. Judes.org, Love Shriners.org., Wounded Warriors, Red Cross and Cancer Research).

She was classy, a fashion plate, was always sharp, wore 2” to 2-1/2” heels. The only time I saw her in a pair of sneakers was when she was on a ladder painting walls or doing yard work when she had her house. Sneakers were not worn for anything else. Her make-up was impeccable. Over the years she loved wearing Nina Ricci L’air du temps parfum, Estee Lauder Private Collection and Boucheron Parfum Body Cream. She enjoyed smelling like “a rich bitch” (her words) 😊 She also loved to see a man in a suit.

Mom was a housewife until the age of 30. She became a single mom when the “other side of the DNA pool” decided to leave when I was 10 years old. She started working for Montgomery Ward Catalog House on Chicago Avenue in Chicago Illinois as a checker/filler for mail orders. She was financially responsible – she taught me to always pay your rent/mortgage first, pay your bills on time, save a little, and buy something nice when you can afford it – never live above your means. Even though I’m an “only child”, she did not spoil me. She made sure I had what I needed growing up and I never felt deprived.

Mom also taught me how to cook - she could “throw down”.

She knew she couldn’t afford to send me to college, so she enrolled me at Dunbar Vocational High School where she made sure I majored in Secretarial Practice (typing/shorthand/office machines). She had always wanted to be a secretary and had regretted not taking typing in high school. She was happy when I was hired by the United States Secret Service – she felt at ease knowing that I had a good secure job and could take care of myself.

She knew how to curse, but you better not curse around or at her. I never cursed around my mom. I was taught to respect my elders and until the day she died she never heard me say a curse word. If I told her a dirty joke, I would spell out the word or say it sounds like “itch”.

She married my stepfather, James Williamson in 1977. Around 1983 she was laid off from Montgomery Ward. She wanted to learn how to type & Jim supported her in that dream, and she started taking typing classes (night) at Loop College in Chicago. After my stepfather passed away suddenly in 1986, she learned how to drive his Buick Electra 225 at the age of 50 and eventually traded it in for a 1997 Buick Century. She was a very good driver – but refused to get on the expressway. Not one ticket or pull over, but she did have a lead foot – so that’s who I got that from – hah!

She then passed the Civil Service typing test and was hired by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board as a Clerk-typist. She worked there until she retired in 1998 at the age of 62 – she got to be a “secretary”.

In 1999, she sold her house and bought a condo in Calumet City, Illinois. She had a flair for interior design. She enjoyed music: B.B. King, Koko Taylor, Tyrone Davis, Johnnie Taylor, Otis Clay, Jackie Wilson, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Al Green and Millie Jackson (her naughty side).

She loved to dance – she could “Bop” a dance from the 1950’s and she took Stepping classes when she was 60.

When COVID hit I became her only outside contact – that was what she wanted to remain safe. I became a little OCD (like her) and a bit of a germaphobe (like her) to keep her safe. I would help her at least 3 times a month to deliver her groceries, pick up her mail and take her garbage down the hall to the garbage chute.

She loved ribeye steaks, Cowboy ribeye steak and rack of lamb from Sam’s Club – Gala apples, navel oranges, papaya, garlic bulbs and ginger root from Pete’s Market, tomatoes, avocadoes, bananas, Sara Lee Artesano Golden Wheat Bread from Wal-Mart – that’s a small portion of her grocery list 😊

She loved watching Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers. Her Soaps were the Bold & the Beautiful, the Young & the Restless and General Hospital. She enjoyed watching Jeopardy, Nightline, Meet the Press, Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Wendy Williams Show, The Talk, The View, NCIS: Los Angeles, Perry Mason, Cannon, Mannix, The Closer, Major Crimes, Crossing Jordan, Rizzoli & Isles, In Plain Sight and Dancing with the Stars. A couple of days before her passing, she called and stated she just saw an old show with Jackie Wilson dancing and doing the splits – she enjoyed it.

The last photos we took together were when she was 66 and I was 46. She had determined that she didn't want to say "cheese". So, she decided that when it came time to smile, we would say "P#%%y" (her naughty side). The photographer laughed during the entire photo shoot. And that was the first & last time I ever said that word out loud around my mom.

We were 20 years apart and when we were together people always thought we were sisters not mother and daughter. We talked on the phone EVERY DAY 2-4 times a day– it feels strange not to call her at 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 8:30pm and the last goodnight call at 11:43pm. Being fiercely protective – at my age, she insisted that I call her whenever I had been out and gotten back home safely – just let her phone ring twice and hang up and we would talk later – but no more. I know she is now living in her new Glorified body with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for the love and support of my other half – Jan Brooks (my rock), my cousin - LaVerne Curry (my rock) in Apopka, Florida and my extended family – Brooks, Drake, Kush, Powell and Ma'gerl.