Melba Jean Williams

Dec. 4, 1923 – Dec. 22, 2016

Melba Jean Williams was born in Columbus, Georgia. As a young child, she and her family moved to Tifton, Georgia. There she grew up working in her family’s restaurant located near the train station. Throughout her life, she was known for her culinary skills. People coveted her chocolate chip cookies. During the war years, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida where she was employed by the Internal Revenue Service. It was in Jacksonville that she met and married her husband, Kavanaugh Williams in 1947. They had two sons together, Michael and Kenneth. Jean was an avid golfer. She was a regular at Deerwood Golf and Country Club on Tuesdays, Ladies Day. Her other hobbies included painting and sewing. In 1975, she took courses in upholstery and drapery construction at Florida Community College Jacksonville (“FCCJ”). She proved to be to be so gifted at both skills that FCCJ hired her as an instructor, where she taught classes for over a dozen years and made many friends. After she retired from FCCJ she became a regular at Baptist Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Facility. After each workout, she gathered for coffee with a group of friends that became known as the “Muffin Gang.”

Jean was predeceased by her husband, Kavanaugh; her sister, Valeria Kaiser; and her brother, Bill Taylor. She is survived by her sons, Michael and Kenneth; their sons, Jacob and Geoffrey; respectively, daughter in-law, Elizabeth Williams; and sister in-law Ann Taylor.

The funeral service will be held at 11 o'clock in the morning on Thursday, December 29th at Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Boulevard, 32207.

Arrangements under the direction of Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel, Jacksonville, FL.