Gaynelle Irby Williams, 88, of Shreveport, Louisiana, passed from this life to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 8, 2021. She was born on January 31, 1933, in Appomattox, Virginia, to Gracie and Daniel Irby. A service celebrating Gaynelle’s life will be Wednesday, August 11, at 10 a.m. in the open air Pavilion at Centuries Memorial Park in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Through the years, Gaynelle shared many stories of growing up on a tobacco farm in Virginia with her six sisters and a brother. After high school, Gaynelle attended Bluefield College in Bluefield, Virginia, where in the summer she worked with Appalachian communities through Vacation Bible Schools. Gaynelle’s love of Jesus and children took her to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) where she received a Bachelor of Religious Education degree. Upon graduation she taught preschool in LaMarque, Texas.
In June 1957, Gaynelle married Crawford Williams whom she had met at NOBTS. Henrietta Wildsmith of the Shreveport Times beautifully told their love story in an article for the February 14, 2020, edition of the paper. As a pastor’s wife, Gaynelle eagerly worked with children in all of the churches her husband pastored. While at their first church in Lancaster, South Carolina, their daughter Bambi was born. From South Carolina they went to Dyer, Tennessee, where son Danny was born. They moved to Columbia, Mississippi, and then to Tallulah, Louisiana, where Gaynelle taught preschool in addition to working with children at church. After moving to Shreveport in 1982, she taught kindergarten at Willow Point Baptist Church. She told many stories about the funny things her little pupils would say or do. She loved each of them.
Gaynelle laughed easily and was a friend to everyone she met. There has never been a grandmother who has loved or enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren more. She loved her family “with all her heart.” She will be greatly missed.
Gaynelle leaves her husband of 64 years, Theo Crawford Williams; daughter Bambi Lee (Tony) of Shreveport and son Danny Williams (Cathy) of Bells, Texas; three grandchildren, Hannah Lee of Austin, Texas; Daniel Williams (Kelsey) of Seymour, Texas, and Devin Williams of Bells, Texas; one great-grandchild Maylie Williams and a great-grandson soon to be born; sisters Christine Browning of Appomattox, Virginia, and Joyce Childers of Panama City, Florida.
Gaynelle is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Violet Rowland, Ida Sims, Pearl Britton, Anna Malcolm and brother D. B. Irby.
The family is grateful to the staff of The Glen’s Village Health and Stiles Apartments, Lifepath Hospice, and Golden Gate Nursing Services for the compassionate care they provided during the days preceding Gaynelle’s death.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Keachi Baptist Church, the Southern Baptist Lottie Moon Christmas offering, or the charity of your choice.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
