THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 8, 1995 TAG: 9506070159
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THUMBS UP
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: COURTLAND LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
WHEN SHIRLEY WILLIAMS talks about raising her four children, eight foster children and a granddaughter, an old nursery rhyme comes to mind:
``There was a woman who lived in a shoe, she had so many children . . .''
That's where the similarity between Williams and the rhyme ends, however.
When she was mothering a flock of little ones, Williams knew exactly what to do.
``I didn't let my children run around,'' she said. ``I listened to them and spent time with them. I was never mean, but I was a strict mother . . . and if they needed to be spanked, I spanked them. I wanted somebody else to love them besides me.''
Williams, unable to attend school beyond the eighth grade, talked often to her children about the value of an education. ``My motto was, `Go to college.' ''
Williams, 63, and her husband, Samie, have watched their dream come true. Independent and hard-working, their grown children are a credit to their parents and to their communities.
For her contribution to her family and the community, the Epsilon Iota Lambda Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. honored Williams for meritorious service to her fellow man at a recent recognition banquet at the Holiday Inn in Suffolk.
The Williams' three daughters have college degrees.
Their eldest, Cheryl W. Roberts, is a graduate of Norfolk State University and teaches school in Bridgeport, Conn.
After graduating from Paul D. Camp Community College with an associate degree, Diane Williams received a bachelor's degree in Hartford, Conn., and now is employed by a Connecticut bank.
A graduate of Old Dominion University, Karen W. Lashley is a license examiner for the Division of Motor Vehicles in Courtland.
The couple's only son, Ronald, completed Southampton High School and is employed by Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Williams, who has cared for her granddaughter since infancy, recently watched with pride as 22-year-old Latoria Williams received a bachelor's degree at the University of Virginia. After her wedding in July, Latoria plans to pursue a master's degree at Virginia Tech.
The Williams' foster son, Bryan, who was the last remaining child at home, recently moved to a home of his own and is attending Paul D. Camp Community College.
``I have always cooked so much, I can't get used to cooking a little bit,'' Williams said, laughing. ``Before Latoria came back from the university, the house made too much noise.''
A Norfolk native, Williams was 18 months old when her mother died. Her aunt and uncle, who had nine children, brought her home to their farm in Southampton County.
``All we did was pick cotton and shell bags and bags of peanuts,'' she said. ``I'm used to working hard.''
At 19, Williams married and later, went to work as a cook with the Southampton County School System. She has made bread, cooked, and served meals to 300 students at Southampton Middle School for the past 26 years.
For 15 years, Williams has been a school bus driver, leaving home at 7:25 a.m. and returning at 4:15 p.m. She has also worked in the evenings, cooking, cleaning and baby-sitting for a family in Courtland.
``If I didn't have time to cook in the evening, my husband would,'' Williams said. ``We raised chickens and hogs and had our own bacon and sausage.''
A retired construction worker, Samie Williams is the custodian at Southampton High School.
At one time, the couple had eight foster sons living in their home. Four remained until they entered college or joined the military and four were able to return to their own families, Williams said.
A member of Bryant's Baptist Church in Capron, Williams sings in the choir, attends Bible study and cooks for church dinners.
``All my children were in church every Sunday,'' Williams said, ``and I didn't send them to Sunday school. I took them and stayed with them. All my children prayed and sang in the choir at church.'' MEMO: HONORS AND AWARDS/ PAGE 20
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Shirley Williams and her husband have raised four children, eight
foster children and a granddaughter.
by CNB