Edna Williams

Edna Mae Campbell Williams was born in Elizabeth, Louisiana on May 23, 1925. She was the youngest of three children born to Luberta Fisher Campbell and Walter Campbell. She graduated from Moton High School in Orange, Texas with honors on May 29, 1942 and finished Lincoln Business College in Beaumont, Texas. Because of racial discrimination she could not get clerical job in that area so she traveled to California in May 1945 to live with her cousin Alvie Campbell (Bible) at the age of 19 years and went to work three days after arriving to California, she started working for the Naval Supply Center in Oakland as a clerical typist. In 1960, she became the first African American Supervisor in Blue Print Files division at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, CA. She was one of the few employees that a had secret clearance status.

In 1972 she became the Head of the the Technical Library Branch of the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the Naval Air Station. She retired in 1981 after 34 years of federal service. Upon her retirement, she received the Navy Meritorious civilian service award for her accomplishments. Shortly after Edna retired, she was asked to come back for a few months as a training consultant. Before she agreed, she demanded respectable compensation(which had not been given to Black and Female employees) it was granted.

She met her husband, Carey Addison Williams Sr., on December 9, 1945. A whirlwind courtship followed that ended in marriage two months later on February 3, 1946 in Reno, Nevada. That marriage proceeded a son, Carey Addison Williams Jr. and three daughters: Carol Williams-Manson (Bush Manson), Celeste Williams Bluford (Deceased) and Cynthia A. Williams (Joe Perez). Four grandchildren, Mark Addison Bryant, Cameron James Bluford, Leonora Mae Williams and Ingrid Elise Williams. Carey and Edna were together for 59 years until his death on December 12, 2005.

Edna's AME Church History goes back to her birth where she was christened in St.James AME Church in Elizabeth Louisiana.

The first Sunday she was in California, she joined Parks Chapel AME Church in Oakland in 1945.

Edna and her husband moved to Antelope California in 1998. She joined Murph-Emmanuel AME Church in December 2002.

Edna loved to dance and sing. She was an avid reader and loved to do crossword puzzles. She was a licensed (WA6BKM) Ham Radio operator. She and her husband loved to travel the country in their 27ft Winnebago motorhome, taking their time to take in the sights. She loved taking cool rides on a nice sunny day with her husband on their Honda Goldwing motorcycle. She loved to go cruises to the Caribbean Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. When they were young, she loved taking the kids camping to the national parks, visiting relatives in Southern California and Arizona, traveling to Disneyland during the summer vacations. Edna and Carey Sr. put their pennies and nickels together to take their kids to the 1962 Seattle Worlds' Fair. She was determined to to not miss this opportunity for her kids. In April 2016 Edna decided to take one more thing off her bucket list at the age of 90 years she traveled to Paris, France and London, England with family and friends.

Edna would often say, "we killed can't, and whipped couldn't until we could".

Edna Mae, truly enjoyed and loved her family and friends. She was there whenever they needed her.

Edna lived life to the fullest.

There will be Celebration of Life for Ms. Edna Mae Williams at Murph-Emmanuel AME Church 4151 Don Julio Blvd, North Highlands, CA 95660 on April 22,2023 at 11:00am.