Marilyn Joann Williams

Marilyn Joann Williams was born January 11, 1943, in Lexington, Missouri to Frederick and Zella Josephine Williams. She was one of three girls. Her mother died shortly after her birth. Her grandmother, Odessa Prather Morgan and grandfather Thomas, raised all three girls in a loving home together.

Marilyn was born in Lexington near Kansas City, Missouri. Her family later moved to Dalton, Missouri. She graduated from Keytesville High School where she graduated and played basketball. While attending a funeral near her hometown, she met Mr. Charles R. Williams and later fell in love with him. They were united in love September 1, 1963, and shared over 54 years together before his passing. She always used to say she fell in love with Charles, because he was handsome, well dressed, had charisma, and a job.

The Williams family moved to Charleston, Missouri in 1966 and would eventually buy Sparks Funeral Home, and with the help of others, purchased Williams-Farr & Purnell Funeral Homes in Howardville and Sikeston. Marilyn was a licensed cosmetologist, who studied at Madam C.J. Walker Schools of Beauty Culture, and she worked alongside her husband for decades.

In 1972, she began working with the University of Missouri, Columbia Extension as a Youth Education Assistant for Mississippi County. Mrs. Marilyn was instrumental in the establishment and development of a 4-H program teaching life skills to many youth from ages 5 to 19. She enjoyed working with the children in the community.

Marilyn truly enjoyed going camping every summer at Lake Wappapello. It brought her and the kids so much joy. She enjoyed the lake activities, woodworking, and activities by the campfires.

She was proud of the youth's accomplishments at both district and state fair competitions. They would participate in the district fair featuring livestock, cows, pigs, and chickens. She was very proud of them receiving "Best in Show" ribbons. The kids would also display projects they worked on throughout the year for Sew with Cotton by making clothes and modeling them at the state competitions. All 4-H leaders and members looked forward to the annual bus trip to the Memphis State Fair.

Another 4-H project she created in the Bootheel was her "Ready or Not Tot." Her goal was to teach abstinence and help the youth understand the amount of responsibility needed to care for an infant. The teenage girls actually had to take care of a manikin baby like it was their own child by feeding, changing the baby, and attending to all the babies needs within a 24 hour period.

Each year, the youth looked forward to participating in the city's Dogwood Azalea Festival Candlelight Walk. They placed over 500 candles each year in April as one of their community service projects.

Every year Mississippi County always had an education trip mixed with fun, such as 4-H Congress and Missouri Citizenship Workshops, 4-H Day with the St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Cardinals (with 4-Hers having the opportunity to run the bases).

For more than 20 years, the youth's biggest fundraisers were their participation in the Sikeston Jaycee Rodeo and selling 4-H cookies every year which allowed the children to take annual education trips to place like: touring the Missouri State Capitol, the Missouri Highway Patrol Building, the Governor's Mansion, the Missouri Supreme Court Building, and staying at the Truman Hotel. Before returning home, the children would visit the St. Louis Zoo, the Science Center, the Gateway Arch, Grant's Farm, and the City Museum.

Marilyn had plenty of adult volunteers, some of whom became her best friends. She loved them like family. She knew she needed all of them to be successful in her many endeavors. They assisted in teaching in their area of expertise covering topics, such as sewing, knitting, crocheting, and cooking, among other skills. She would thank them publicly and annually with Recognition Award Banquets celebrating with food, awards, and fellowship.

The University Extension service works closely with the school districts. She had participated in Solar Day from the beginning and did so until her retirement. She also facilitated the 4-H embryology program, which included the chicken incubation project. Education was important to Mrs. Marilyn J Williams. She believed in providing education material to the youth. She took 4-Hers to visit colleges at Mizzou, St. Louis University, and Lincoln University. They also managed to raise enough money to take a trip to Washington, D.C. The group also attended space camp in Alabama, too. She was very proud of the fact that throughout her years of involvement with the youth of the community over 300 students obtained their college degrees, including her three children and two grandchildren.

She believed she helped to make an impact in each of their lives. She believed she created an environment where young people would want to learn. This was her niche, creating environments that were conducive to learning. She loved her job and she loved working with all the kids in the community.

Marilyn was a member of Mercy Seat Missionary Baptist Church since 1966 and was the secretary of the church. She served on the Mother’s Board and enjoyed helping raise money during the annual fundraiser that brought her much joy. Her church group raised the most money a few years in a row. She loved fellowshipping with her church family.

Mrs. Marilyn was proud of her lifetime membership in the NAACP, being a former board member at Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium in Sikeston, her past affiliation with the Eastern Stars, and many more of her achievements, both private and public.

Marilyn loved traveling with her family, visiting her friends & family out of town, and taking numerous vacations to view the World. She recently spent time in Peoria, Chicago, and Texas. She enjoyed dressing up, painting her nails, wearing her “White Diamond” perfume, putting on her favorite lipstick, and wearing her hair in a French roll.

She loved getting her head scratched often, playing cards, sitting on her carport reading the newspaper while drinking a cup of coffee in the mornings, chilling in her back yard in the evenings, and making blocks to check on her neighborhood. She enjoyed ice cream, a good cold Pepsi, twinkies, ding dongs, and occasionally drinking CC with her sister Frances. Her favorite hobby was shopping, especially at JCPenney, Macy’s, the “Dove” Mall, and Jamestown Mall. She also loved to sew, cook, plant a garden, and landscape her yard.

Marilyn loved being around her family. She was a very present, loving and supportive Mother and Grandmother. She looked forward to summers when her grandchildren would come visit until school started. Once school started, whenever she wanted to see them, she would meet their parents in Perryville. She would call and say “Meet me at exit 129.” When her granddaughter relocated, she never missed her various activities. Continuing her tradition as she did with her own children. She was always their biggest fan.

Holidays brought her much joy, with Christmas being her favorite. She loved seeing her tree decorated, and her beautiful hand wrapped Christmas gifts, each with bows and curly ribbons. She perfected her talent when all the 4-H leaders and members would have a fundraiser by wrapping gifts at Walmart.

In January, for her 83rd birthday, her granddaughter, who plays traveling volleyball played on her birthday in Columbia, Missouri. Family members came to Columbia for her birthday celebration all weekend. She had a great time on the campus of Mizzou, rolling around her old stomping ground and reminiscing about her younger days. She looked forward to those opportunities to hear and see her grandson perform on stage.

On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Marilyn Joann Williams passed away peacefully in the comfort of her home in the presence of her loved ones. In addition to her parents, grandparents, and husband, Marilyn was preceded in death by one sister, Priscilla Joyce Williams, her brother-in law and his wife, Stephen and Alma Williams, and nephews and nieces, Loren Cornish, Jr., Kimberly Williams, Thomas Williams, Sr., and Carly Williams.

Mrs. Marilyn leaves to cherish so many great memories, one son, Charles Richard Williams, Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri, two daughters and one son-in-law, Stephanie Williams Crawford of Charleston, Missouri, and Monica Louise (Leon Jr.) Brown of St. Louis, Missouri, one sister and brother-in-law, Frances (Loren Sr.) Cornish of Peoria, Illinois, one sister-in-law, Lola Louise Williams of Marshall, Missouri, bonus son, Anthony Crawford, Sr of Chicago, Illinois, four grandchildren, Anthony Crawford, Jr. and Le’Niya Brown of St. Louis, Missouri and Marissa Joann Crawford and Isaiah Williams of Charleston, Missouri, four step-grandchildren, Leon Brown, III and Adrieon Brown of St. Louis, Missouri, Alexis Brown of Dallas, Texas, and Leonche’ (Jermaine) Hunt of Belleville, Illinois, the Williams Funeral Home family, nephews, nieces, cousins, step great grandkids, other relatives, friends, and an entire community.

“Well done, thy good and faithful servant…” Matthew 25:23.

A visitation will be held Friday, May 8, 2026 at the Williams Funeral Chapel from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Friends may call Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. until the funeral hour of 12:00 noon at Mercy Seat Missionary Baptist Church in Charleston, Missouri. Interment will immediately follow in Oak Grove Cemetery in Charleston with the Williams Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. A balloon release will be held during “The Gospel Hour” at 9:00 A.M. Sunday, May 10, 2026 at Oak Grove Cemetery.