Jack Williams

Jack Williams, Sr.
Retired Minister

Corinth - Brother Williams of Corinth died April 20, 2013. He was born in Conway, Arkansas, on January 08, 1923 and moved to Lexington, Mississippi in 1928 where he graduated from high school and attended Mississippi State prior to volunteering for military service.

During World War II, he served in the U. S. Air Corps. After the war he owned and operated an electrical appliance business in Lexington. After answering God?s call to become a minister, he attended Millsaps College, getting his Local Preacher?s License in 1949 and graduating from Millsaps with honors in 1951. His Master of Divinity Degree was earned at Duke Divinity School, Duke University.

Brother Williams served the following appointments in the former North Mississippi Conference (later the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church): Swiftown- Caile-Morgan City; Goodman First; Tupelo, St. Mark-Oak Hill; Corinth, Gaines Chapel; Marks; Iuka First-Mt. Evergreen; Pontotoc First; Macon First; Tupelo, St. Luke; Aberdeen First; Mantachie-Shiloh; and Booneville, Liberty. While in Tupelo, he worked as a volunteer with hundreds of men and women at Harbor House of Mooreville in alcohol and drug rehabilitation. He was also a member of the first board of directors of the American Family Association missing only one board meeting in thirty-three years.

After serving under Methodist Conference appointments for fifty-three years, he often ?filled the pulpit? for various pastors in northeast Mississippi and Tennessee. He said it was ?to the glory of God? that he ?never experienced burn out? and wanted to preach ?until his toes turned up.?

During his years under appointment, he also served on several boards within the conference. He said his most enjoyable conference work was serving for eight years as chairman of the Conference Board of Pensions. During this time, he wrote many articles on pensions, and helped raise several million dollars for pensions. Working with Massachusetts Mutual Insurance Company a thorough study was made of pensions in the North Mississippi Conference. The purpose was to fully fund pensions for current and future retired ministers.

Jack is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Vetrice Moore Williams. Other survivors include a son, Jack Williams, Jr. and his wife, Nancy, of Olive Branch, Vetrice Delores Azary and her husband, Doug, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and Angela Carol Griffin and her husband, Jason, of Pickwick, Tennessee; three grandchildren: Cheryl Warren Williams and husband Keith Warren, Brett A. Smith and wife Leslie Smith, Greg N. Azary; eight great-grandchildren, T. J. Griffin, Trevor Griffin, Wesley Stricklin, Corey D. Livesay, Andrew K. Warren, Lainey Smith, Alexandria Robinson and Taylor Robinson; and one great, great grandchild, William Robinson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Marvin Williams, Sr. and Annie Ruth Reynolds Williams; brothers, Lyman Delbert Williams, Thomas Marvin Williams, Jr., James David Williams; one sister, Ruth Murphy.

Services for the Reverend Jack Williams, Sr. will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Visitation will be at St. Luke one hour prior to the service. Pallbearers will be Greg Williams, Ralph Farr, John Harris, Joe Fowler, Gordon Evans, Ed Cutshall, Alva Dalton, Frank Williams, Leon Cochran and Sherman Wilson.

Memorials may be made to St. Luke United Methodist Church, 1400 Clayton Ave. Tupelo, MS 38804, or to your favorite charity.