REV. SPENCER WILLIAMS JR.
July 9, 1929-May 14, 2009
The Rev. Spencer Williams Jr. -- pastor, husband, father, friend and community leader -- 608 Poplar St., went home to be with his father in heaven Thursday.
A homegoing celebration will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Bear Creek Association Headquarters, 1800 S. Slocumb St., Goldsboro, with Dr. Lorenzo Lynch Sr. officiating.
There will be a brief service honoring his life Thursday at 2 p.m. at Mary's Chapel Baptist Church in Scotland Neck, followed by the burial service in Mary's Chapel Cemetery, Mary's Chapel Road, Scotland Neck.
The Rev. Spencer Williams Jr. was born July 9, 1929, the son of the late Spencer Williams and Terris Cotton Williams.
He was a native of Scotland Neck in Halifax County, where he received his elementary and secondary education. After graduating from high school, he entered the United States Army, where he served for two years as assistant chaplain during the Korean War.
He was ordained to the gospel ministry by the Old Eastern Missionary Baptist Association and received his theological training at Shaw University in Raleigh. He was a recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship, which enabled him to study at the University of Chicago and the Urban Training Center of Chicago, Ill. His work there was in the area of special ministries. He studied for two years at United Christian College in Goldsboro and had one year of clinical training at Wayne Memorial Hospital, conducted by Wayne Community College.
Rev. Williams was moderator emeritus of Bear Creek Missionary Baptist Association, where he served for eight years; past president of the Wayne County Interracial Ministers Alliance; past president of the Afro-American Ministers Alliance of Goldsboro; member of the executive board of Hampton Institute Ministers Annual Conference of Hampton, Va.; past master of Solid Rock Masonic Lodge 177 of Scotland Neck; lifetime member of the NAACP; member of the board of Mental Healthy of Wayne County; member of the personnel committee of the named board for five years; member of the board of visitors of Shaw University in Raleigh; member of the National Baptist Convention of North Carolina; member of the Lott Carey Convention; member of the executive board of Bear Creek Missionary Baptist Association; member of the General Baptist State Convention; former member of the advisory board of the Goldsboro City Board of Education; member of the advisory board for the Carolina Kids Program in Jones County; founder and president of S&N Enterprises of Goldsboro; received 35 hours of training in evangelism and church growth at Hampton Institute in Hampton, Va.; and was organizer and chairman of the first inter-denominational Minister's Religious Training Courses, which operated under his leadership for nine years, sponsored by Shaw University.
Rev. Williams was former pastor of the following churches: Banks Chapel Missionary Baptist in LaGrange, St. Phillip Missionary Baptist in Pollocksville, Mount Calvary Baptist in Goldsboro, Mary's Chapel Baptist (home church) in Scotland Neck, Chapel Hill Baptist in Rich Square, Oak Grove Missionary Baptist in Garysburg and Jerusalem Baptist in Woodland.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, the former Nainnie McNeal; three children, Lori Anita Williams-Grant (Phillip) of Goldsboro, Spencer Eldridge Williams of Jonesboro, Ga., and Joseph Anthony Williams (Tonda) of Kernersville; eight grandchildren; a brother, Rev. Jesse E. Williams of Goldsboro; a sister, Mabel Clark of Scotland Neck; two aunts, Mary Brody of Scotland Neck and Dorothy Brody of Baltimore, Md.; and a host of nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, mother and a sister, Susie B. Williams.
Visitation will be tonight from 7 to 8 at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 318 Denmark St.
Flowers may be sent to Hamilton Funeral Chapel of Goldsboro.
Cards, love-grams and condolences may be faxed to Hamilton Funeral Chapel at 735-4725 or e-mailed.
Hamilton Funeral Chapel of Goldsboro is handling the arrangements.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on May 19, 2009 1:47 PM