Charlotte Allen Williams (90) was born in Tallahassee, Florida, on July 1, 1929, the daughter of Carl Rogers Allen and Cody Harris Allen. She attended Sealey Memorial elementary school and graduated in 1947 from Leon High School where she established her foundation of academic excellence, female leadership, appreciation for the visual arts, love of literature, and learning for personal satisfaction. She graduated as class Salutatorian, participated in the Student Government Association, and was a member of the court for the 1947 May Party.
Charlotte attended Florida State University beginning in 1947, the first year it was co-ed, enrolling as an Art major. She was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, national freshmen honor society. She began working at the Department of Motor Vehicles in 1948. In 1950, she started working at FSU as assistant to the Dean in the College of Home Economics. A few years later, she became assistant to the Dean in the College of Business. Over a nearly 20 year period, Charlotte took advantage of a program offered by FSU allowing certain staff to take one course per term free of charge. She changed her major to English and re-enrolled. After numerous lunch-hour and evening classes taken one at a time, Charlotte graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1967, where she was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, national honor society; Phi Kappa Phi, national honor society; and Sigma Tau Alpha, national English honor society. She received a Master of Science in Higher Education in 1972 and was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, national Education honor society. In 1979, she earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Speech Communications.
Nearly all of Charlotte’s working career was spent within FSU’s College of Business. During her time there, Charlotte worked in many capacities – assistant to the Dean, oversight of student registration, academic advisement, faculty advisor for FSU’s chapter of the National Association of Business Women, as well as instructor. Most important, and what provided the greatest delight to her, was being a kind and receptive ear to the students she served.
Throughout her life, Charlotte was involved with both the visual and literary arts. She became involved with LeMoyne Arts soon after its inception in 1963 along with her mother. She participated as a member, volunteer, and served on the Board of Directors more than once. However, she most enjoyed the classes provided by the organization. Upon retirement in 1981, Charlotte began pursuing her artistic and literary interests more actively. Her chief interest was quilting. Working in conjunction with the Museum of Florida History, she was on the Steering Committee of the Florida Quilt Heritage Project, a five-year program to discover, document, and preserve the history of Florida as expressed through Florida quilts and the lives of the quilters. The project registered more than 5,000 quilts from around the state. Subsequently, Charlotte authored a book published by the University Press of Florida titled, “Florida Quilts.” She also presented a solo exhibition at COCA’s ArtPort gallery, published in numerous literary reviews, won awards for her quilts, as well as her watercolors. She was working on numerous projects until the very end.
Charlotte was predeceased by her mother, Cody Harris Allen; her father, Carl Rogers Allen; her brother, Karl Rogers Allen, Jr.; and her husband of 66 years, Ernest Matthew Williams, Jr. She is survived by her son, Ernest Matthew (Matt) Williams III; two grand-daughters, Cody Sana Quereshi and Julia Katheryn Williams; a brother, James (Jimmy) Judson Allen, Sr.; sisters, Ivah Allen Kukler and Della Allen Wallace; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Charlotte’s family will welcome all friends for a visitation at the Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home, 700 Timberlane Road, at 1:00 pm and a funeral service ceremony to follow at 2:00 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2020.
The family suggests that anyone wanting to send a memorial donation should direct it to LeMoyne Art Foundation.
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