Harvey J. Williams

Harvey Jackson Williams was the second son and child of John Booker Williams and Sophie Olivia (Morris) Williams. He was born at home, in Arrington, TN, on September 14, 1927. He grew up on a farm just off Osburn Road then, after graduating from high school, moved to Cookeville, TN for a year to attend Tennessee Technical University. He soon began to feel the calling to become a full-time minister and began to preach around the local congregations in the Middle Tennessee area. Within a couple of years, he crossed paths with his future wife, (the late) Mildred Emmalee Towns, at a local congregation in Smyrna, TN. Eventually, they would cross paths yet again and marry six months later on June 15, 1952. For the next thirty-plus years, they would live the life of the Ministry, moving to wherever they were called and ministering to various local congregations in the Nashville, TN, Norton, VA, Weiss, VA, Batesville, MS, Medina, TN, Chicago, IL, Gary, IN, Gardendale, AL, Dickson, TN areas, then move back to Nashville, TN and finally settle down in the Donelson, TN, area ultimately retiring from full-time Ministry.

Harvey then worked for Polk Publishing Company of Nashville, Western Union, Bradford’s Furniture Company of Green Hills, and finally Comdata, located in Maryland Farms, before his health forced him to retire in 2009. Harvey loved reading, writing, studying, researching, meeting new people, striking up conversations with young and old alike, laughing and telling jokes, discussing the deeper meanings and mysteries of life, traveling, vacationing, taking his family across country to visit local attractions, enjoying the sites and sounds, experiencing new cultures, concerts and musical events, playing music, singing and playing guitar and piano, and in his later years, playing the hand, frame and gathering drums. He loved being on the cusp of something new, learning about new things, enjoying new experiences, and studying/researching about new things, continuously expanding his heart, mind and soul, never being satisfied with the “status quo” but continuing to seek, search, find, and gather knowledge, gaining understanding on how all the various pieces fit. Up until two weeks before his transition, and even at the ripe age of 86-plus, he was still having those deep, studious, knowledgeable and intriguing conversations with the old and young alike, from strangers he had just met to his closest of friends. Harvey was an amazing man, very friendly, bright, talented, courageous and intelligent, always and ever-expanding his heart, mind and soul. He was such an inspiration.

He is survived by only child and daughter, Donna Fay Williams, siblings John Morris Williams, Juhli Fox, Betty Parker, nieces and nephews, Mary Jean (Williams) Smith, Pat Williams, Jimmy Hunt, Judy (Hunt) Alford, and John Hunt (children of Harvey’s late sister, Evelyn Hunt), (the late Tony Nichols), Rick Nichols, Meg (Nichols) Coe, and Randy Parker, Teresa Parker, Carolyn Jo Parker and Emily Singleton-Higgs.

In lieu of flowers the family is asking that donations be made to Alive Hospice at 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203. Thank you!

Funeral Services will be held two o'clock in the afternoon, Sunday, February 16, 2014 from Woodlawn's Dignity Hall with Janice Mickle officiating.

The family will receive friends from three o'clock in the afternoon until six, Saturday, February 15, 2014 from Woodlawn Roesch-Patton Funeral Home.

Interment will be held two o'clock in the afternoon, Monday, February 17, 2014 from Woolawn Memorial Park.

Arrangements under the direction of Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Me, Nashville, TN.