Rev. Elizabeth L. Williams

Rev. Elizabeth L. Williams was born on November 11, 1945, in Charleston, South Carolina, to the late Roosevelt Levant and Harriet (Smalls) Levant. She lived a life defined by faith, service, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to her family and community.

Elizabeth met her husband Leon in 1962 in Harlem New York; the family moved to Hempstead, New York in November 1973, where they resided until relocating to Georgia in May 2021.

Elizabeth dedicated more than 25 years of service to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City, where she made history as the city’s second female train operator. Her pioneering spirit and strong work ethic opened doors for those who followed.

A woman of deep faith, Elizabeth later answered God’s call to ministry. She earned an associates degree from Nassau Community college, Bachelor’s of Art from State University of NY, Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary. She faithfully served as a minister at Faith United Methodist Church in Staten Island for five years before retiring from the ministry, where she touched countless lives through her compassion, wisdom, and dedication. Pastor Liz as she was affectionately called by her parishioners was ordained into the order of clergy at New York annual conference in 2014.

Beyond her professional and ministerial accomplishments, Elizabeth embraced life with creativity and joy. She loved traveling the world, drawing, painting, writing, sewing, reading, and hosting gatherings for family and friends. She generously shared her gifts with her community as a member of United Methodist Women, a Girl Scout troop leader, and a Vacation Bible School leader, inspiring generations of young people through her example of faith and service.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents, Roosevelt and Harriet Levant; her stepmother, Dorothy Levant; her sisters, Mattie Ashe, Edith Smalls, Rebecca Brown, and Rosemary West; and her brothers, Leroy Levant and Talmadge Levant.

She leaves to cherish her memory her devoted husband, Leon Williams; her beloved daughters, Adrienne Jones-McCallister, Valerie C. Williams, Leonora Valeris (Geoffrey), her brother, Bernard Levant (Krista); her sisters, Jacqueline Levant, Sylvia Everett, and Linda Levant; her treasured grandchildren, Samantha, Brittny, Leon, Joshua, Jade, and Jeremiah; Six Great Grandchildren, and a host of loving nieces, nephews, extended family members, dear friends, and all whose lives were blessed by knowing her.

She was a member of the New Beginnings Methodist Church

Elizabeth’s legacy of faith, courage, creativity, and love will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.