Loved and Lost: If you needed help, you'd ask reliable Willie Mae Williams
This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com.
Willie Mae Williams often joked that she lived in Grand Central Station — in Ewing.
The family's Central Jersey home was a hub of activity. Far beyond letting neighborhood children play basketball in the driveway, she was happy to let family stay at her home until they could get on their feet, said daughter Sonya Wormley.
"People who knew my parents knew that if you needed help, you could ask Willie Mae," she said. "She was reliable. Even at 81, she was always on the go."
Born in January 1939, Williams grew up in Walterboro, South Carolina. Her mother died when she was 9, but with the help of her aunts, Williams thrived. A majorette and half-court basketball player in high school, Williams attended South Carolina State. She couldn't afford to stay more than a year, however, Wormley said.
At 20, Williams left with a friend for Philadelphia. There, she worked as a short-order cook to put herself through secretarial school. The effort paid off. Williams later got a job at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, where she worked for 33 years.
Trenton is also where she first lived with her husband of 55 years, David Williams. The two moved to Ewing in 1968 because they wanted a house with a yard for their children to enjoy, Wormley said.
Known to friends and neighbors as "Miss Mae," Williams loved to cook and entertain in and out of her home. A member of the Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd Parent-Teacher Organization, Williams organized school events, including the annual basketball banquet.
Her sons, Gary and Kelly, and daughter Melanie played basketball into college. Williams cheered along. She also was a discerning sports fan and followed the pro teams in New York and Philadelphia. In the 1970s, the family had two TVs. If the Knicks and the 76ers were playing at the same time, both games would be on.
"She was the one who really turned my dad onto basketball," Wormley said. "I couldn't say that she had a favorite team. She was always rooting for the underdog."
In retirement, Williams further developed her passion for reading. David Baldacci was her favorite author. Wormley said her mother would always pass along the good ones, so they could talk about them later. She also found pleasure in spending time with her four grandchildren — from miniature golf outings to school events.
Williams died on May 6, 2020. She was 81.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: COVID NJ: Willie Mae Williams kindness made her home a hub
