DONALD WILLIAMS

Obituary Donald Edward Williams went ahead, went on in, as he would say, on Thursday 11 June 2020, at the age of 83. Don was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1937 to Harriet Williams Ford, daughter of Anna and John Williams, all of Kansas City. He attended Attucks elementary school and R. T. Coles high school. After high school Mr. Williams started work at the Crane Candy Company. Subsequent employers included Milgram Grocery Store, Continental Hotel, and Lee Wald Garment Company. When he was working at a steak house at 35th and Broadway, customer Janet Garvey Livers, an interior designer, saw him and asked if he could help her with her house on his day off. Soon Mrs. Livers recommended him to the James Ludlow Miller family. He stayed with the Millers full-time for four decades, until his retirement. While with the Millers he also helped the families of Lenore K. Bradley, Jack and Joann Rees, Jack Cleary, Nancy and Sam Robertson. Metropolitan Spiritual Church of Christ, which he joined on the third Sunday in June, 1966, was the center of Mr. Williams' spiritual and civic life for over fifty years. He sang in the adult choir: he says first as a tenor, then as a baritone, then as a bad tone. He received the Kansas City chapter award from the Gospel Music Workshop of America. He sang at the weddings and funerals of Miller family members. As a member of the church's hospitality committee, he was famous for his fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and chili. As a member of the missionary board he travelled widely: Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York City, New Orleans, Atlanta, Omaha, Memphis. He went to Sweden with the First Church of Deliverance of Chicago in 1981. Mr. Williams was welcomed in Paradise by his mother Harriet Williams Ford, his grandparents Anna and John Williams, and Aunt Mary and Uncle Frank Roe He leaves here to cherish his memory his grandson Robert Johnson, sister Ellen Barnes, cousin Camille Holmes, brothers Roosevelt Flemings (Chicago) and Paul Wilson, best of friends Betty Ramsay, children Helen Edwards, and Don and Joe Smith, his church family, the Miller family, and a host of other friends and relatives. In his last months, Mr. Williams was graciously cared for at The Grand Pavilion. His final passage was eased by the devoted nurses of Good Shepherd Hospice. Donald Edward Williams's long and serene life will be celebrated at Metropolitan Spiritual Church of Christ, 1231 Garfield, Kansas City, MO 64127, on Sunday 28 June 2020: visitation 3 to 4 in the afternoon, service at 4, Bishop James Bryant, pastor, presiding. Because of Mr. Williams's fifty-year plus membership, his will be a Royal Funeral Service. Pastor Emeritus, Bishop James Tindall, Mr. Williams's pastor for many decades, will preach. Burial near Mr. Williams' mother, Harriet Ford, at l O in the morning on Monday 29 June in Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery, 6901Troost, Kansas City, MO 64131. Memorial donations may be made to: Metropolitan Spiritual Church of Christ, 1231 Garfield, Kansas City, MO 64127, Attn: Bishop James Bryant Funeral Services will be held at on Sunday, June 28th at Metropolitan Spiritual 1231 Garfield Ave. KCMO. Interment Monday, June 29th at Forest Hill & Calvary Cemetery To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of DONALD WILLIAMS, please visit our floral store. Read More

DONALD WILLIAMS

February 25, 1937 - June 11, 2020