Eileen Williams passed from this world and into Heaven at the grand old age of 99 years and 3 months after a lengthy illness. Up until July 4th, when she fell and broke her left leg, she was in good health, alert and spunky, but the fall, recovery and later battle with the Covid virus was too much for her. She passed quietly at home, with her daughter holding her hand.
Eileen was born on June 5, 1921, in the small southwest Virginia town of Cleveland, the fourth child of Ellis and Bonnie Purcell. She was a puny child, and it was said by the townspeople that she wouldn't live to a good age. Known for her love of Coca-colas and honey buns, she was a picky eater throughout her life and prone to migraines, yet she outlived everyone in her immediate family. Only her 94 year old cousin, Bill Ferguson, has outlived her.
Mother graduated from Cleveland High School at 16 years old and went on to Milligan College. She credited Milligan's scholarship program with enabling her to attend college during the height of the Depression. Her one regret in life was that she didn't finish college; she had to drop out in her senior year after developing double pneumonia. But, on her 91st birthday, in fulfillment of her lifetime goal, after a full day of celebration at Milligan, she was awarded her Bachelor of Science degree based on the completion of all required coursework and her life experience as a Navy wife.
While in college, Mother met the love of her life, N.T.Williams, and followed him all over the world while he pursued his career as a Naval officer. She loved her family above all else and devoted herself to being a homemaker, making a lovely home for her husband and children whether they lived in military housing or on the economy in Turkey or Taiwan. In addition to these destinations, their duty stations included Bainbridge, Charleston, Albuquerque, Newport R. I., Norfolk, Washington, D. C., Guam, and Las Vegas, where Daddy retired. She and N.T. were married for 68 years and were devoted to each other and their children.
Because of Daddy's military service, our family moved on average every two years, but the first thing they did each time we moved was to find a church where we could worship as a family. When they retired, they found New Hope Methodist and were members there for over 50 years. With this example of spiritual commitment, the entire family was active at New Hope. At church they made many lasting friendships that were precious to them. For over a decade Mother and Daddy cooked for Meals on Wheels and delivered the food to New Hope to be distributed.
Eileen is preceded in death by her husband, N.T. (Nat) Williams, Jr,, her parents, John Ellis and Bonnie Violet Purcell, her sisters, Nadyne St. John and Christine McCracken, her brother, Clifford Purcell and her grandson, David Carpenter. She is survived by her children, Jean O'Dell, Natalie Seliquini (Joseph), and Jeffrey Williams (Debra), four grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 am, Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at New Hope Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to New Hope Methodist https://www.findnewhope.com or Meals on Wheels http://www.brandonmealsonwheels.com , the Milligan College Scholarship Program https://admission.milligan.edu/scholarships or the Gideons International at https://www.gideons.org
