Jimmie Lee Williams

• Born: June 1, 1930 Durham, NC
• Died: April 11, 2013 VA Medical Center, Durham, NC
• Married: Nancy Navada Lloyd on March 22, 1957, in Durham, NC

Jimmie Lee Williams was born June 1, 1930, and died April 11, 2013. He married Nancy Navada Lloyd on March 22, 1957, in Durham, NC.
Jimmie's children with Nancy Lloyd Williams
Ricky "Rick" Lee Williams

Jimmie Lee Williams was born on Sunday, June 1, 1930, in Durham, North Carolina, to James and Essie Stancil Williams. He had an older brother, Kenneth Aaron, who was premature and lived only two weeks, and a younger sister, Bettie Lou, born just ten months after him.

“Daddy, don’t leave us. Daddy, don’t leave us,” pleaded 3-year-old Jimmie, looking through the screen door as his daddy left in 1933.

This event impacted his future, his sister’s and mother’s.

A pivotal moment in Jimmie's early life occurred when his father left the family, an event that profoundly impacted Jimmie, his sister, and his mother.

By 1934, his mother, Essie, moved the family to Burlington, NC, into the home of her father, Walter Greene Stancil, his new wife, Louise, and their son, Walter Leo. Louise cared for Jimmie and Bettie Lou while Essie worked in a hosiery mill. Tragically, Essie developed acute nephritis and passed away on October 19, 1936. Jimmie, then six, and Bettie Lou attended their mother's funeral and burial at Renfrow Cemetery in Selma, NC, where a photo was taken of them beside her grave.

Initially, Jimmie and Bettie Lou stayed with their grandfather Walter and Louise on a farm in Four Oaks, Johnston County. However, by 1937, Walter realized he could not adequately care for them. After consulting with a social worker, a decision was made to place them in the Barium Springs Home for Children, founded in 1891 by the Presbyterian Synod of North Carolina. Walter and Louise drove seven-year-old Jimmie and six-year-old Bettie Lou 190 miles to the home near Statesville, NC. The large campus included a church, school, and separate cottages for boys and girls, allowing Jimmie to sometimes see Bettie Lou during mealtimes.

During summers and holidays, Jimmie and Bettie Lou spent time with their Aunt Sadie (Essie's sister) and Uncle Robert in Durham. Around 1948, their mother's first cousin, Gurnie Stancil Crabtree, who lived in Durham, took them to visit their mother's grave in Johnston County.

At Barium Springs, Jimmie grew up learning religious values and scriptures that shaped his character. He also acquired valuable skills, working in the print shop and learning how to print, which guided his future career. A natural athlete, Jimmie excelled on the school's football and basketball teams, a prowess he maintained throughout his life. As a senior, he was selected to visit other orphanages across the state with other outstanding residents, broadening his perspective on life outside Barium Springs. Jimmie graduated in a class of about 25, a bittersweet time as the orphanage had been his home.

Immediately after graduation, Jimmie joined the Navy and served for four years during the Korean War, receiving an honorable discharge.

Contributed

He then moved to Durham, NC, and began his printing career at Durham Printing. He eventually owned his own printing shop. There, he met Nancy Navada Lloyd, born on September 2, 1936, in Forsyth, NC. They were married by a judge in Durham on March 22, 1957, and had one son, Ricky Williams, born in 1960.

Around this time, Jimmie took up golf, which became a favorite pastime and a source of relaxation and challenge that he shared with his son, Ricky. He and Nancy enjoyed golfing vacations, and Jimmie played with both "Eno Seniors" and "Over the Hill Gang," with Nancy as his biggest fan. Jimmie was also a devoted fan of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, seldom missing a game.

Jimmie and Bettie Lou maintained a close relationship, exchanging birthday greetings and frequent calls, cherishing their shared past. In recent years, Bettie Lou often joined Jimmie and Nancy for dinner at K & W Cafeteria in Chapel Hill, one of Jimmie's favorites.

Jimmie became a printer and eventually owned his own printing shop in Durham. He maintained contact with classmates returning often to reunions.

Jimmie also stayed in contact with his classmates from Barium Springs, often attending reunions. He invited Bettie Lou to join him for the 2013 reunion, which she planned to attend.

Sadly, Jimmie developed heart and breathing problems a few years before his passing. He died on April 11, 2013, at the Veterans Hospital in Durham, NC, prior to the reunion. Jimmie was remembered as a gentleman with a big heart, known for his jokes and ability to uplift spirits, embodying the sentiment of Denis Waitley: "A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside." Proverbs 10:07, "The memory of the righteous shall be a blessing," also serves as a fitting tribute to Jimmie.

His widow, Nancy Lloyd Williams, passed away at the age of 86 on April 1, 2023, in Durham, North Carolina. The daughter of the late Ervin and Ester Maynard Lloyd, Nancy worked for Durham Social Services and WSRC Radio, and enjoyed traveling, especially to the beach.