Beverly Williams

Success is not always measured in dollars or by the worldly honors achieved, but in the achievement of noble and unselfish acts. Beverly Williams was a kind and tender-hearted woman whose life is a clear illustration of what it truly means to be completely selfless. She found great reward in her roles as a wife, mother, grand mother and great-grandmother and she never tired of setting aside her own needs to tend to those of her husband and family first. Someone who believed in working hard to make her own way, Beverly lived a frugal lifestyle but in doing so, she was able to share her many blessings with so many around her. The brilliant tapestry woven throughout her life’s journey serves as an inspiration to all who were blessed to have been touched by such an extraordinary woman.

The year 1929 is often remembered as the year that our nation fell into the clutches of the Great Depression after the stock market crash in late October of that year, but it was a year that was filled with other noteworthy events as well. This was the year that our nation was introduced to the popular comic strip character, Popeye and celebrities hit the red carpet for the first Academy Awards. This was a year of great significance for the family of William and Lottie (Popko) Howard since it was on May 19th that they welcomed their daughter, Beverly, into their hearts and home. Beverly was the seventh of eight children in her family including her siblings Edward, Elizabeth, John, Lucille, Alice, Marian, and June. She was raised in Plainwell, Michigan. Like so many families of this generation, the Howards were a close bunch who held onto each other for support, and they were self sufficient and willing to work hard. Beverly attended local schools and during her high school years, she worked at a local café.

After graduating from Plainwell High School in 1947, Beverly found work at the Shakespeare Company. It was also as a young woman that she met the young man who would change the course of her life forever. He was an extremely handsome young man named Wesley Williams and they met at the roller skating rink. Beverly was smitten with him and after dating for a time, she was overjoyed to become Mrs. Wesley Williams on August 6, 1950, at her mother’s home.

The newlyweds settled into their life as husband and wife in a home that they built together. Not long after they exchanged their vows, the couple was thrilled to find that they were expecting. They were blessed with three children through the years: Wesley “Punk” Jr., Sally, and Gregory. In order to accommodate their growing family, Beverly and Wesley later built their second home which was larger. Beverly fully immersed herself into caring for her children and as a mother her skills were second to none. Almost every day she made homemade French fries for her own children as well as several of the neighborhood children for an afternoon snack. There were days she made upwards of 20 pounds of the tasty treats! Beverly also loved canning and baking for her family.

Throughout her life, Beverly was never one to be idle. For many years she worked at the Olympia Truck Stop and later at K-Mart where she retired as a checkout supervisor when the store closed. Every fall she traveled with her family to Grant and came back with several pounds of potatoes. Beverly also loved traveling with Sally and Phyllis to Detroit. When she became a grandmother, babysitting her grandchildren quickly became a regular event and one she treasured as well. With her warm and bubbly personality, Beverly made friends with everyone she met along the way.

On January 2, 1982, Beverly was given a tough pill to swallow with the death of her beloved Wesley. The days, weeks, and months following his death were some of the most trying times in her life, but she persevered with a quiet strength that is to be admired. She was determined to remain independent. Beverly was very wise when it came to handling her finances and always made sure that there was plenty of food and that all the bills were paid before using her money on anything else.

In everything she did, Beverly wholeheartedly gave it her all. She was determined, self disciplined when needed, and strict at times, yet she was as kind and gentle as they come. Beverly was known to be very opinionated, but never in an overbearing or boisterous way. She was the matriarch in her family and fully devoted to her children and grandchildren even as they formed families of their own.

A true blessing in every sense of the word, Beverly Williams made a significant impact on the hearts and lives of so many around her. She rejoiced in the joys she experienced in life and honorably embraced the trying times as well. Someone who spent her days making life better for those around her in ways both great and small, Beverly’s absence will be keenly felt by many. The memories she leaves behind are a priceless gift to be treasured for generations to come.

Beverly Williams of Plainwell died Friday, January 14, 2011 in Kalamazoo. Beverly’s family includes her daughter Sally Kelley; grandchildren, William (Heather Stout) Kelley III, Phyllis Kelley, Lacey and Abbey Williams; great-grandchildren, Ameer, Austin, Ameen, Brandon, Alexa; sisters, Marian & Howard Morgan and June Bell; many good friends and former grandson-in-law, Jalal Alghabra. And many special nieces and nephews. Beverly was preceded in death by her husband, Wesley Williams Sr.; sons, Wesley “Punk” Williams, Jr., and Gregory Williams; siblings, Edward, Elizabeth, John Howard, Lucille Harmon and Alice Brown. Learn more about Beverly, visit with her family and friends and view her life story film Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home Plainwell, 120 S. Woodhams (685-5881) where funeral services will be held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Please visit Beverly’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory or photo and sign her guestbook online before coming to the funeral home.