Gloria Dean Williams

Graveside services celebrating the life of Mrs. Gloria Dean Williams, a well-known citizen will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at the Outdoor Sanctuary of Ivory Chapel Missionary Baptist Church at 11:00 a.m.  Rev. Bobby Joe Douglas will be the officiant.  Visitation for Mrs. Williams will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the chapel of Loche's Mortuary, Inc. Friends are encouraged to follow the social distancing rules. Masks are required to attend the visitation. To send words of comfort or condolences, flowers, or light candle, please see the instructions attached to this tribute.

A Virtuous Woman

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Proverbs 31:10; 28

A Matriarch! Who would have thought that little Gloria Dean Kemp born in a little town called Pickens, Arkansas, in Desha County about three miles south of Dumas would become a Matriarch? A political activist. Who would have thought that little Gloria Dean Kemp, born July 2, 1933, to Gertrude Randle and H. P. Kemp, raised by her mom and grandma, married a handsome young man from Louisiana, one Sam Williams, Jr., raised nine beautiful children, Brenda, Randy, Stephen, Cedric, Michael, John, Adrin, and baby, Connie would become the Matriarch of the Williams’ clan/ Who would have thought it?  But, she did! And, she was!

Gloria graduated from Morehouse High School. An outgoing, personable young lady who loved people found employment in areas where she would be of assistance to family, friends, and strangers alike. She worked in sales at Grant’s Hardware and John’s Jeans. But, her primary job was that of raising her children, and then her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She encouraged all of them to go to school, become self-sufficient, and do what was right. She would often tell them that “when you do what’s right, right will follow you.”

How she met Sam Williams, Jr. is a story that would bring a smile to her face. It was not ladylike in her day to just walk up and introduce yourself to a young man. It just was not done! But she had to know who that “pretty" black man was. So, she enlisted the help of her sister, Ivory Mae. Sam worked on cars. Gloria convinced Ivory to casually walk up and down the street with her where Sam worked on their way to “nowhere.” Ivory would look around to see if he was looking. And, he was. The “looking” led to talking and the “talking” led to “dating,” and the “dating” led to marriage. Sam loved her and her wishes were his commands. Just to see that beautiful smile would melt his heart. And, the rest is a wonderful memory.

She loved playing bingo, dominoes, watching basketball, baseball, and betting her sister, Ida Lee a Coke. She bragged that she was Ivory Chapel’s first domino champ, even beating the preacher, Bobby Joe Douglas.

Gloria and Sam worked hard and reared their children in a Christian home. Stern disciplinarians, the children knew that if they got in trouble at school, they got in trouble at home, too. But, when the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren were born, those strick rules seem to vanish. She adored her grandchildren and whenever they were around, she was all smiles. Just to be in her presence was enough for them and they would smother her with hugs and kisses. And, she would do the same thing to them.

Gloria loved the Lord and she loved attending church. She was a member of the Ivory Chapel Missionary Baptist Church where she served as ??

She was famous for her “words of wisdom” and her funny sayings that included”

   “Big Gull (Nay) bring yourself on across the street. I don’t want nothing; just come!”

    “Pickle (Adrin) come here and dial Suga (Jay) phone number for me!”

     “Call and see if Jess-a-Cat made it home!”

      She’d call Brenda and say, “Black gal, whatcha doing?”

On Friday evening, just about dusk, Gloria Dean Kemp Williams bade farewell to her earthly home. With family at her bedside, the Matriarch of the Sam Williams clan joined Sam, “Ced” (Cedric), and other family members and journeyed “Home.” “Sleep, Mamaw. Take your rest! Sleep.”

“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

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