Lizette Williams

Lizette Williams was born March 6, 1955 at John Gaston Hospital in Memphis, TN as the eldest offspring of Lizzie Mae Grandberry and Willie James Grandberry, Sr. Lizette loved the Lord and accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early age at St. Martha Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, IL under the leadership of Reverend Hardy and later under the leadership of Reverend James Hudson.

As a young child, Lizette enjoyed family summer vacations in the Crawfordville and Earle, AR region, where she visited Etta Grandberry, her paternal grandmother, Ida L. Bunch, her maternal grandmother and extended family members. In an expression of love to her family, Lizette hosted holiday celebrations, attended many family reunions and enjoyed the fellowship of family members, friends and church members.

Lizette completed her academics within the Chicago Public School System where she received her primary education at Carter G. Woodson School based in the Grand Boulevard community. She continued her secondary education at the prestigious Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in the Kenwood community as a proud graduate of the 1974 Class. She would be one of a few students as a class, to hold the distinction of completing all four years of academics since the school was established in 1971. Lizette’s tenacity for success stemmed from her education to her professional development while in high school. She achieved a leadership role as an assistant manager in a major national chain restaurant, Colonel Kentucky Fried Chicken. After the completion of her high school education, she pursued educational training for accounting and other coursework where she achieved certification.

As a devoted parishioner at St. Martha MBC in Bronzeville community, Lizette met, fell in love, and married Roosevelt Williams on October 5, 1974. To this union, they gave life to Sean Dwane Williams in 1975 (deceased) and Marc Anthony Williams in 1979. Lizette and Roosevelt later joined Rayfield Baptist Church, under the leadership of Reverend Rogers, where she was a Sunday School teacher and President of the Ministers, Deacons and Trustees’ Wives Ministry.

In 1989, Lizette and Roosevelt moved to Cincinnati, OH where they joined First Baptist Church of West College Hill and rendered her service as a Sunday School Teacher and President of the Ministers and Deacon’s Wives Ministry. Her passion for career success in leader[1]ship continued with various organizations as an Accounts Payable Manager for Oscar Robertson Company; Orchem Chemical and finalizing as a Manager for Value City Department Store. She enjoyed traveling across the United States to major tourist destinations while at the same time enjoying art, home decorating and most notably known for her sense of fashion on Sunday morning Worship Services. Also participating in special ministry engagements showcasing extravagant Sunday hats.

She is preceded in death by her son, Sean Williams; father, Willie James Grandberry, Sr.; paternal grandmother, Etta Grandberry; maternal grandmother, Ida Lou Bunch; and sister-in-law, Michelle “Cookie” Grandberry.

 Lizette leaves to cherish her memories: mother, Lizzie Mae “Ninnie” Grandberry of Memphis, TN; husband, Roosevelt; son, Marc Anthony Williams; granddaughters, Mauriel, Breyanna, Moriah, Miavonnie, Markenzie and Maya Williams; brother-in-law, David Williams of Chicago, IL; sister-in-law, Willie Bell Williams of Indianola, MS; two sisters, Elizabeth Kah of Phoenix, AZ and Renette (William) Arrington of Chicago, IL; five brothers, Willie James “Tim” Jr. of Gary, IN, Craig J. Grandberry, Calvin Leroy Grandberry (Denise), Rufus Barry Grandberry, all of Chicago, IL and Anthony Mark Grandberry of Memphis, TN; aunts, Bernice Johnson of Memphis, TN, Mary Bunch, Dorothy Johnson, both of Chicago, IL and Rosalie Shaffer of Crawfordsville, AR; uncles, Jonas Brooks of Earle, AR, Johnnie Johnson of West Memphis, AR and Landis Grandberry of Memphis; a host of aunts and uncles of Little Rock, AR and St. Louis, MO; cousins, nieces, nephews, family, church members and friends.

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