Lynn Weaver Williams

Lynn Weaver Williams passed away at her home on June 22, 2024. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Henry Braxton “Buck” Weaver and Janey McLaughlin Weaver. She is survived by her children – Barkley Williams Matthews (Marlin), Marna Jane Bevill (Zach), and Charles Crawford “Charlie” Williams III; grandchildren – Jackson Weaver Bevill, Ida Jane Bevill, and Mary Braxton Matthews; her sister – Gayle Weaver Moore; and her former husband – Charles Crawford Williams Jr.

Lynn was born in Dallas, Texas on May 1, 1950. In 1951, at the age of one, her family moved to Mountain Brook, Alabama which became her home for the rest of her life. The security and joy of her home life with parents Buckie and Janey and sister Gayle helped form her into an independent, thoughtful, generous, and down-to-earth woman.

She graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 1968, the school’s first graduating class, where she was a member of Theta Kappa Delta, the National Honor Society, and was a National Merit Finalist – signs of the intellect and work ethic she was known for. Lynn graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University in 1972, where she was in the Chi Omega sorority, and from Cumberland Law School at Samford University in 1975. It was during law school that she first became known as “Miss Weaver,” and she loved spending time with friends and family down on the bay at Fort Morgan.

After graduating law school, Lynn became the first female attorney hired at Protective Life Insurance Company, where she worked for forty-one years until her retirement in 2016. At Protective, she was a trusted source of wisdom known for her fearless honesty, sensible head, and big heart – someone you could always rely on in moments of professional challenge or personal crisis.

In 1976, she married Crawford Williams, and the two of them went on to have three children – Barkley, Marna Jane, and Charlie. Lynn loved her three children fiercely and raised them to be independent individuals by supporting and empowering them to make decisions and find their own paths in life. Over the years, she became known as “Mama Lynn” to their friends (and eventually her grandchildren) because of the warm welcome and care she provided to those who needed a place to simply be themselves.

In the 1990s, Lynn served as the chair of the Board of Zoning Adjustment for the City of Mountain Brook, and her children learned to drive and navigate the streets of Mountain Brook by driving her around to assess various properties.

Lynn was a lifelong member of Mountain Brook Baptist Church. She was a faithful member of the Open Door Sunday School class and served on many mission trips with Builders for Christ. In her retirement years, she committed countless hours to serving with Cooks on a Mission at MBBC where she became a central part of the team and the head bread-maker. Since childhood, Lynn participated in the Living Nativity at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, and in 2014, her family had four generations of angels, from her 94-year-old father to her 7-month-old granddaughter.

Lynn was immensely proud of her adult children and their families. She had an uncanny ability to soothe her grandchildren when they were babies and loved welcoming them with their favorite foods and a loaf of “Mama Lynn Bread” each time they came to visit.

Lynn was an avid reader and committed member of her book club, and she always picked out the corner piece of cake with the most icing. She enjoyed feeding and caring for all the creatures - birds, pets, and people - who made their way up the hill to her house.

In all facets of life, Lynn was known for her beautiful smile and for being strong, dependable, sincere, practical, loyal, and generous. She will be dearly missed by family, friends, and her church, and most of all by her children and grandchildren.

A celebration of her life will be held in the sanctuary of Mountain Brook Baptist Church on Sunday, July 14 at 2 pm. Visitation will follow in Hudson Hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Lynn W. Williams Fund within the James D. Moebes Foundation at: https://www.mbbc.org/mbbc-james-d-moebes-foundation/set-up-a-gift at Mountain Brook Baptist Church or the Lynn Williams Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham at: https://www.cfbham.org/lynn-williams-memorial-fund/