Ailene Bishop Williams, age 89, making her home in Waverly, Alabama, was welcomed into the heavenly kingdom on June 21, 2023. Ailene was preceded by her husband, Dr. Harold Williams. She is survived by her son Grant Williams, daughter-in-law Joan Williams, grandson Connor Williams, her brother L.O. Bishop, sister-in-law Grace Bishop, nieces Darlene Morgan, Patti Mangum, nephew Luther Bishop, sister-in-law Gail Terrell, niece Lisa Terrell, and a large and loving extended family.
Ailene was born in Colbert County, Alabama on July 12, 1933, and lived a long and rich life, adding value to others, along the way. She graduated college before the age of 20 and began a career in education. Across much of her career, she invested in the lives of youth in Auburn, Alabama teaching 9th grade physical science at Auburn High School. She was known for conducting science lessons in the parking lot using a red 1966 Chevrolet Corvair as the subject; a car she drove for three decades. She loved showing the effects of physical science through classroom experiments and enjoyed grading papers long into the evening. She truly loved her students and profession. From a young age, she enjoyed playing piano and read music very well. In her home community, Ailene played piano for many years at the Waverly United Methodist Church. She gardened and planted flowers, creatively arranging them. Along with floral arrangements, fresh vegetables from the garden were shared with others, and canned, to be enjoyed throughout the year.
Together with her husband Harold, Ailene made a second home and wonderful group of friends in Haines, Alaska. Ailene was active in the community, frequently ventured into the Canadian mountains for long hikes and picked berries to make jelly and jam. The cherry tree in her yard was a favorite for cooking. The only ones who liked the cherries better than Ailene were brown bears who often climbed and sat in the tree to eat them. Fishing was another of her activities. Whether it was trout, halibut, or a thirty-pound king salmon, Ailene loved spending time fishing with Harold, from Florida to Alaska.
A celebration of life will be held at the Allsboro Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 45 Cumberland Drive, Allsboro, AL 35616 on Saturday, July 15 at 11:00 am. You are invited to join the family for BBQ lunch and fellowship, following the service. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Waverly United Methodist Church (Waverly, Alabama) or the Allsboro Cumberland Presbyterian Church Children’s Fund.
