Obituaries » BARBARA ANN WILLIAMS
PrintBARBARA ANN WILLIAMS
January 17, 1950 - January 10, 2021
Burial Date: January 16, 2021
Visitation will be held Friday, January 15, 2021 Jackson - Highley Funeral Home Chapel, West Helena Arkansas from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, January 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Jackson - Highley Funeral Home Chapel, West Helena Arkansas. Interment will follow immediately at Magnolia Cemetery, Helena Arkansas. Due to our Federal and State COVID-19 guidelines: during the Visitation - we will only allow individuals to view 10 at a time. Chapel Service - we will admit 45 individuals with the proper wristband, temperature checks, and mask. At the Cemetery - we will abide by the social distance standard of 6ft apart. Mrs. Williams's service may be viewed live through ZOOM. Here are the ZOOM instructions: Topic: Funeral Services for Mrs. Barbara Williams - Jackson and Highley Funeral Home Chapel, West Helena, AR Time: Jan 16, 2021 11:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/98428912849?pwd=bDVJR1g3ZE1tZHdsN3pHL3JpeXR5dz09 Meeting ID: 984 2891 2849 Passcode: 407704
Barbara Ann Williams, former educator of 39 years, peacefully passed away on the morning of Sunday, January 10, 2021. She was 70 years old.
Barbara was born January 17, 1950 to Jimmy Warfield and Viola White in Helena, Arkansas. She was the second born of eight siblings.
She confessed a hope in Christ early in life at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Helena, AR. Rev. A.L. Woodson was the presiding pastor. She was a life-long dedicated member of Zion Hill. She served as a Primary Sunday School teacher, a member of the Usher Board, she helped manage the Youth Department, as well as serving as the Adult Sunday School Secretary. Her love for God was seen in her daily walk of life.
From an early age Barbara knew she wanted to become a teacher. After graduating from Eliza Miller High in 1968, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Philander Smith College, in Little Rock Arkansas. While attending Philander she served as a Sophomore Class officer as well as being nominated as Miss Sophomore 1970. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she began her educational career with Lakeview School District No.25, Barton School District, and with the Helena-West Helena School District.
She was known to be a trustworthy and dedicated employee, a kind-hearted and dependable colleague, and above all she was known to be one of the sweetest teachers a student could have. Her expertise was not limited to just academics, she showed all her students that she truly loved them, which helped to instill in them a love for learning.
As much as Barbara loved church and teaching, she loved her family unconditionally. Affectionately known as “Bob” she shared a special relationship with each sibling in her own loving way. There was nothing that could be asked of her, that she would not do. She treated her nieces and nephews as if they were her own children.
Barbara was blessed with one daughter, whom she loved to no end. Some would often refer to her daughter as, “her shadow”. The bond the two shared could never be replaced.
Barbara A. Williams was preceded in death by both of her parents, Jimmy Warfield, and Viola Murry. Her grandmother; Rodella White; her beloved aunts; Hazel Nelson and Florida Cunningham (Joe). Uncles; Jake White and Samuel “Pete” White, Robert White Jr. ”T.D.”, and Thomas White. Her nephew; Jimmy “Little Jimmy” Madison.
She leaves behind her only child, Kimberly Williams (Letonio) two grandchildren, Brennan and Brooke Warren; four sisters, Doris Jean Daniel (Curtis), Linda Sims (Melvin), Sheletha Simpson (Al Terry), and Norma Bell. Two brothers; Ives Murry and Leonard ”Van” Murry (Rhonda). A special cousin Sheron Nelson and two uncles, Napoleon White, and Joseph “Papa” White, her best friend Julie Miller-Thomas, her loving caregivers; Pamela Barrow, Leena Wilburn, Carletta Scoggins, and Jeannette Willie.
She leaves her nieces Dawn McFarlin and DeShawn Reed, Donna Phillips (Joseph), Yolanda Simpson, London Murry, and Breanna Cannon. Her nephews, Melvin Sims Jr., AL Terry “A.T.” Simpson II (Andrea), and Quentin J. Murry.
