Thomas Wiliams

T.J. Williams

Thomas Jefferson "T.J." Williams, 71, of Kennett, died Friday, Aug. 31, 2007, at Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett.

Born Jan. 28, 1936, in Kennett, son of the late Robert Lee and Katie Neva Garrett Williams, he was U.S. Army veteran, owner/operator Williams Electric and a member of the Third Street Baptist Church in Kennett.

On Oct. 2, 1965, in Caruthersville, Mo., he married Betty Louise Ellis, who preceded him in death on Feb. 19, 1990. He was also preceded in death by one daughter, Sandra Kay Williams; one son, Thomas Jefferson Williams; two sisters, Gwen Locke and Vina Barr Devine; four brothers, Peck and Glen Darrel Williams, Billy Joe Southern and Bobby Lee Taylor, Sr.; one great-grandchild, Terry Queen, Jr., and his step-mother, Hazel McElyea Williams.

Survivors include six sons, Joe Williams and Donnie Johnson, Sr., both of Kennett, Billy Williams, Sr., of Campbell, Mo., Dickie Johnson, Sr., of Rush Springs, Okla., Mark Johnson, of Chickasha, Okla., and Clifford Johnson, of Gideon, Mo.; four daughters, Viennie Damron and Patricia Stracener, both of Kennett, Jeannie Ramirez, of Holcomb, Mo., and Helen Key, of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; special friend, Diane Jackson, of Greenway, Ark.; one brother, Charles Taylor, of Belleview, Ill.; two sisters, Jerris Taylor, of Kennett and Dorothy Locke, of Flint, Mich., and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 4, at the Bradshaw Funeral Home Chapel in Kennett with the Rev. Jason Bowen officiating.

Burial was in the Oak Ridge Cemetery at Kennett.

Pallbearers were Donnie Lee Johnson, Jr., Travis Johnson, Jeff Damron, Chad Williams, Sparkie Coronado and Everett Redden.

Honorary pallbearer was James Capps Geohagen.