Betty Jean Perry Williams

Betty Jean Perry Williams, 90, of DeFuniak Springs passed away August 19, 2015. She was born February 11, 1925 in Stockton, California to Rowena and William Perry. She graduated from Stockton High School in Stockton, California in 1943. Betty met Ellis Williams, a Navy sailor from Florida and married him in 1944. After the war the young couple moved across the United States following construction jobs for several years. They settled in DeFuniak Springs in 1955 and Ellis began work at Eglin Air Force Base. Betty spent her time raising their six children and caring for her in-laws. She was an avid reader and a natural storyteller. Betty was a model homemaker, enjoying gardening, tending to livestock, sewing, canning and preserving, making her own butter and cottage cheese as well as homemade grape juice and jelly from the family vineyard. She also excelled at baking and was famous for her good cooking. She and Ellis volunteered in the community and assisted friends and neighbors in various ways including general handyman work at neighbor’s homes. Betty would often accompany her husband on his trips to replace, repair, build or beautify something at the church, children’s campgrounds or someone’s home and was right there helping hold a ladder or pass the right tool. After Ellis retired they were able to enjoy the passion they had for traveling. Often they would take a trip in their campervan with a general destination in mind, but their true love was meeting and visiting with people along the way. Betty will be remembered for her generosity and willingness to serve others. She and Ellis were married sixty-six years before he passed away in 2010. She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Carol (Binky) Perry, her husband Ellis and her son Tod Williams.

Survivors are her brothers, William Perry, Donald Perry and wife Ginny; sisters-in-law, Jessie Butts and Lorraine Williams; her children, Vivian Powell and husband Keenan, Pat Williams and friend Brandon Cobb, Scott Williams and wife Linda, Billy Williams and wife Dawn and Rusty Williams. Betty is also survived by six grandchildren, Katie Odom and husband Shane, Jacob Williams and wife Katie, Kelly Powell, Dana Williams, Jana Williams, Cole Williams and five great-grandchildren; Kyle Lovell, Jake Powell, Koi Powell, Khameo Powell and Kase Odom.

Memorials may be made in Betty Williams memory to Anderson Broxson Cemetery Fund, 3393 County Road 183V, DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32433 A time of visitation will be Saturday, August 22, 2015 from 2 until 3 P.M. in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with the funeral beginning at 3 P.M. with Reverends Jeremy Johnson, Kenneth Harrison and Jacob Williams officiating. Private family interment will be in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.