Funeral Services for James Brown Williams are 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 29, 2014 at Jones Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery to follow. Jones Funeral Home of McComb is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation is Sunday Dec. 28, 2014, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and prior to the service from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 29.

Mr. Williams, 91, died Dec. 25, 2014. He was born on in Dec. 31, 1922 to R. Z. (Zeb) and Ora Brown Williams.

Known as Granddaddy, Mr. James and to all relatives as Uncle James, he resided adjoining the home place on Lazy Creek for his entire adult life. He began his career as head clerk with Atkinson’s Mercantile in Summit for 17 years. He then became a full time farmer, carpenter/painter for the remainder his life. He immensely enjoyed raising crops, growing livestock, providing most of the food for his family and seeing his beautiful timber flourish. There were no happier times for him than to see a job completed in perfect condition with no flaws and joints in his woodworking tasks to “look like they were grown together.” He was a 4-H volunteer leader for many years especially while his children were involved. Another agricultural activity he truly loved and was highly sought after by many far and wide were his special recipe home-cured hams and sausage. He was a leader of the agricultural activities of Lincoln County, serving several terms on the ASCS committee in various capacities.

He was extremely active in all churches he was associated, serving as youth Sunday School teacher (senior high) for many years, having numerous committee leadership positions and always serving on multiple church committees simultaneously. He was choir director for many years and served on the board of trustees for his current church, Summit United Methodist, until his death. James Williams truly loved his church and served in all capacities asked. He had a true love for gospel singing his entire life and showed his love of his savior and the church by singing the “old and loved” gospel hymns. To him there was no truer church music than the old, old gospel hymns. He sang with various gospel quartet groups in Pike and Lincoln counties for practically all his life. He worked with and developed his immediate family members to help him sing for various church occasions throughout the area, especially his church. A special and lasting legacy that he designed and built was the current bell tower at his Summit church. He accomplished this with no architectural blueprints or designs and made it to be of very similar design as the front of his church with a large church bell mounted in the top of this structure. This he accomplished after his retirement and continued to do many repairs and other jobs until his later years. Just this past year he carved several handles for hammers, axes, shovels and other hand tools all delicately crafted from hickory which he cut from locally grown hickory trees, again showing his craftsmanship, eye for detail and love of nature.

James Williams was an extremely kind and gentle man that was loved by all who ever met or knew him even for a very short time. He will be missed tremendously by his constantly caring wife Jeanette who was by his side for his entire married life and cared for him so thoroughly and lovingly until the very end, and all his family, church and multitudes of friends. For those wanting to make donations in his memory, they may be made to either Summit United Methodist Church or Hospice Ministries, Inc., 450 Towne Center Blvd., Ridgeland, MS 39157.

Preceding him in death were his parents, brothers Walter “Ruff” and wife Blanch, Clifton, Lamar and sister-in-law Cleo Williams (Mike C.) Also preceding him in death were brothers-in-law Jimmy Hammond of Monticello and Donald Roark of Jackson.

Survivors are his wife, Jeanette, son Dr. J. Byron (Kathy) Williams of Starkville; daughter Belinda (Rev. Larry) Russell of Summit; four grandchildren whom he dearly loved, Jonathan (Heather) Williams of Brandon, Alice Anne (Jeb) Lee of Oxford, Jason (Liz) Russell of Franklinton, Louisiana and Stephen (Beth) Russell of Decatur. Granddaddy, as he was known to all since the grandchildren could begin to talk, has one great-grandson, Bowen Williams of Brandon, and one great-granddaughter, Hallie of Franklinton. He was expecting another great-granddaughter, Julie Anne to (Alice Anne and Jeb) of Oxford due to be born the day after his birthday. He was also expecting another great-grandson due in late January (Peyton) to Jason and Liz Russell and another (unknown gender) to Stephen and Beth Russell late summer 2015. He is survived by one brother, Mike “Conner” Williams of McComb, numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, sisters-in-law Dorothy Williams, Barbara Roark and Betty Hammond, as well as numerous other relatives and friends.