CHARLENE FRIDAY WILLIAMS of the A.B. Williams Store

Charlene Friday Williams, age 89, passed away at Coosa Valley Medical Center, Sylacauga, on Dec 22nd, 2012. Graveside service will be at Loachapoka Cemetery, Loachapoka, Al, Dec 26th at 11:00am. Rev. Earl Ballard from Trinity United Methodist Church of Opelika will be officiating the service. She was preceded in death by her husband, A.B. Williams Jr. of Opelika, and her brother, Dr. William Curtis Friday of Sylacauga. Mrs. Williams graduated from Weogufka High School and earned her bachelor's degree from Montevallo State College for Women, now Montevallo University. Her work history was long and varied. During World War II, she worked as a chemist in the steel industry in Birmingham. She briefly taught science at Sylacauga High School before putting her home economics degree to work as Home Demonstration Agent with the Alabama Extension Service in Talladega County. In 1957 she married A.B. Williams and moved to Loachapoka where she passed the next 20 years raising her family and helping A.B. run the A.B. Williams Grocery and General Merchandise Store and their commercial peach orchard. They later moved to Opelika, where she oversaw management of the Opelika City School system's lunchrooms. She retired in 1985 and enjoyed many years indulging hobbies and traveling with friends and family throughout the U.S., as well as destinations in Europe and the Caribbean. She participated in numerous civic and social clubs and was always an active member of Methodist churches in Loachapoka, Opelika, and Sylacauga. In 2001 she moved to Sylacauga to be nearer to family. She was always a devoted animal lover. The house in Loachapoka was alive with a variety of dogs, cats, and an occasional horse. Even after she was widowed and her daughters were gone from home, she always shared her life and her home with a dog. She is survived by two daughters, Lynn Cunningham of Childersburg and Mary Ann Zambory of Marietta, Ga, sons in law Dave Cunningham and Gerry Zambory, and grandchildren Courtney Zambory and Jeff Zambory. In lieu of flowers, she would have appreciated donations to the Animal Rescue Foundation. (41 Shelter Lane, Sylacauga, Al 35150). Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.curtisandsonfh.com. Curtis & Son Funeral Home North Chapel in Sylacauga will direct the service.

Published in The Opelika-Auburn News on December 25, 2012

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