Elizabeth Sexton Williams

          Elizabeth Sexton Williams, 95, passed away peacefully on April 22, 2024 in her home surrounded by her family.

          Elizabeth, lovingly known to all as “Betty”, was born on June 21, 1928 in Linden, NC at the home of her grandparents, the late Dr. and Mrs. Wayman Chalmers Melvin. She was the only child of the late Dr. Claude Lee and Kathryn Melvin Sexton of Florence, S.C.  She grew up in Florence, graduated from Florence High School and continued her studies at Winthrop College in Rockhill, S.C. It was during this time that she met her husband, Dennis Williams of Greensboro, while summering at her family home at Tilghman Beach (Ocean Drive), S.C.  Dennis was a Sigma Chi pledge at UNC- Chapel Hill and Betty became the fraternity’s “Sweetheart of Sigma Chi”.

          Betty was the epitome of the grand southern lady – gracious, endearing, and beautiful both inside and out. She had the true gift of hospitality, always ready to open up her home to friends, family and community.  She lived her life always thinking of what she could do for others.  Her kitchen was never closed as food was always being prepared to take to those infirmed, bereaved, alone, or simply as a reminder to a friend that they were being thought of with love. 

          Her gift of hospitality and hosting beautiful events extended beyond her community.  In 1961, NC Governor Terry Sanford and First Lady Margaret Rose Sanford asked her to come to Raleigh to the Governor’s Mansion and plan the first NC Symphony Ball.  True to her reputation as a great hostess, it was an affair to remember and the only one that was ever held at the Governor’s Mansion.  

          Although she loved her community and her many friends, her first love was her family.  The mother of four children, she devoted her life to loving them and supporting them any way that she could.  Her busy family kept her on the road going to horse shows, ballgames, and family trips and dividing her time between five homes – mountains, coast, two horse farms (NC and TN) and Fayetteville.  She was “grace under fire” never complaining and always up to meeting the challenges of life. She thought nothing of selling the family homes and moving from one house to another as the needs of her family changed.  In fact, she delighted in the design and decoration of each home fueling her life-long passion for beautiful interiors. 

         Since moving to Fayetteville in 1954, she was active in many clubs and organizations. Among those were the Christian Woman’s Club, Pine Needles Garden Club, Colonel Robert Rowan Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, The Supper Club, the Lafayette Society, American Friends of Lafayette, and Board member of Friends of Brookgreen Gardens at Pawleys Island, SC.  She also was a member of the Fellowship Sunday School class at Hay Street United Methodist Church and served on numerous committees within the church. 

         Betty is preceded in death by her loving husband of 66 years, Dennis Hinkle Williams, and eldest son, Lee Monroe Williams of Florence, S.C.  She is survived by her daughter, Kathryn Candace Williams, sons Dennis Craig Williams and wife Lynn and Charles Stuart Williams and wife Teri, all of Fayetteville; seven grandchildren, Caroline Elizabeth Grumman and husband Sean of Charlotte, Meredith Palmer Williams of Columbia, SC, Jared Charles Williams and wife Julie of Clayton, Ryan Craig Williams, Dennis Caleb Williams and wife Jennifer, Justin Stuart Williams, and Kendal Kathryn Martin and husband Jeremy all of Fayetteville; along with three great-grandchildren, Jackson Cole Grumman of Charlotte, Ryder Michael Williams of Clayton, and William Kenneth Martin of Fayetteville.

         The family extends its sincerest and heartfelt gratitude to Betty’s nurse, Lisa Starling, Cape Fear Valley Hospice, her team of loving and compassionate caregivers and Roy (Colonel) Baldwin, the family’s horse farm manager and friend for 71 years.

         In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Betty’s honor to Hay Street United Methodist Church, 320 Hay Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301.

         The family will receive friends at the Williams home on Sunday, April 28, 2024, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.  A graveside service will be held on Monday, April 29th at the Sexton Family plot at Mount Hope Cemetery in Florence, SC at 11:00 am.

         Online condolences may be made to www.jerniganwarren.com

         Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301.

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