Reva Marcy Williams

Reva Williams was a warm and loving woman, a natural caregiver who dedicated her life to caring for her beloved family. Known as “Gram” to her family, Reva opened her home and her heart to all those in need. A devoted mother and grandmother, a faithful Christian who tirelessly spread the word of the Lord, and a talented chemist at the Upjohn Company, Reva Williams was an extraordinary and accomplished woman. She will be deeply missed by all those who had the privilege of knowing her.

Reva Marcy was born on July 29, 1915, to proud parents Ben and Ellen (Eddy) Weimer. She grew up on the family farm in Fulton, Michigan, with her siblings Donald, Bernice, and Mabel. After graduating from Athens high school, Reva went on to earn her teaching certificate in the early 1930s. A bright and motivated student, Reva was a lifelong learner, continuing to take classes in chemistry at Western Michigan University.

Reva was hired by the Upjohn Company in the 1930s, where she would be a hard-working and loyal employee for a total of 44 years. She worked as a supervisor in the fine chemicals quality control department. Over the years, Reva proved herself to be a strong leader within the company, and in 1972 became a recipient of the Upjohn Award – one of the first women ever to receive such an honor.

It was at an Upjohn picnic that Reva met the two men that would be the loves of her life – and she met them both at the same time! In fact, Albert Marcy and Maurice Williams lived in the same building, and were friends. Reva and Albert started dating, and it wasn’t long before Reva became Mrs. Marcy. Tragically, however, Albert died only a few years after the wedding, in 1946. During the time they had together, Reva and Albert were blessed with three children: Sue, Gary, and Albert Jr. (Albert Jr. died shortly after birth). In 1951, Reva married Maurice, who became a second father to the children.

Reva was a long time member of Bethel Baptist Church and a founding member of Berean Baptist Church in the Kalamazoo area. She had a passion for sharing the gospel, and opened her home to anyone and everyone who needed help. She was also a world-class traveler, visiting destinations including Israel, Egypt, and the Soviet Union. In the 1980s, Reva helped to smuggle bibles into St. Petersburg, a hair-raising experience that she would look back to with pride in later years.

As the years went by, Reva was delighted to become a grandmother and great-grandmother. She lived for her family, especially her grandchildren, and looked forward to family get-togethers. She loved the holidays, and always created delicious holiday dinners for her family. In her free time, Reva enjoyed relaxing with hymns or Dino’s piano music playing gently in the background.

Generous, caring, and kind-hearted, Reva was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a talented supervisor at the Upjohn Company. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members.

Reva Marcy Williams went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on November 4, 2012, at the age of 97. Reva’s family includes her children, Sue (Lloyd) Miller and Gary Marcy; her grandchildren, Lloyd Jr. (Marsha) Miller, Doug (JoAnn) Miller, Tim (Kimberly) Miller, Carrie (Jason) Pollom, Kimberly (Todd) Gravitter and Jennifer (Christopher) Gray: and twelve great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Albert Marcy and Maurice Williams; and her siblings, Donald, Bernice, and Mabel.

Visit with Reva’s family and friends and view her life story film on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Portage; 5975 Lovers Lane (344-5600). A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the same location. Memorial donations may be made to Berean Baptist Church in Kalamazoo. Please visit Reva’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.