Dorothy Jean Williams

Dorothy Jean Williams was born on October 22,1944 to Doris Vernon and Venita H. Williams. She grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois and graduated from Lincoln High School. She pursued musical studies in col-lege for a period of time, then became employed with Bell telephone company as an operator. Eventually she became a customer service rep and remained with the phone com-pany through transitions to Ameritech, then AT&T until she retired.
Dorothy moved from East St. Louis to Grand Rap-ids, Michigan during her early womanhood, where she be-came a member of Bethel Pentecostal Church, and later, Grand Rapids First Church. A brief marriage ended in di-vorce, but she overcame and braved the challenges of a single life thereafter.
She eventually moved to Lansing and became a mem-ber of Mt. Hope Church. After she learned that her sister, who lived in Lansing, planned to move to Georgia after her retirement, Dorothy set her face back toward the Grand Rapids area and reunited with the Grand Rapids First Church family.
Dorothy accepted the Lord at an early age and was a seeker after God and a lover of the Lord. She had a beauti-ful singing voice and also played the piano. Dorothy sang with various choirs, including Bethel Pentecostal Church choir. There her love for children and music prompted her to develop a children's choir she named the Joy Bells, and she also taught 5th and 6th graders in Sunday school.
From time to time Dorothy ministered in music along with her mother and others to nursing home residents. She enjoyed socializing with friends and traveling when she could. Dorothy seemed to love buying spiritual books and CDs. Her sister found numerous scripture reference notes she left behind, a testimony to her fervor for things of God.
She was instrumental in providing assistance to both her aged parents when they reached a stage of dependence, especially her mother whom she lived with for a number of years.
Dorothy went to be with the Lord on September 22, 2024 following a period of declining health. She was pre-ceded in death by her parents and her older sister, Shirley Lewis. She is survived by one sister, Elsie Onuoha (Tobias), five nephews and two nieces, great nieces and nephews, cousins and many dear friends.

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