Charlene Rawleigh Williams
September 11, 1949 ~ June 10, 2023 (age 73)
CHARLENE RAWLEIGH WILLIAMS passed away peacefully at 73 years of age. Her wonderful life was devoted to her husband, TONY; to their four children, LEMUEL, MATTHEW, CHRISTY, and DANIEL; and to their nine grandchildren, CONNOR, WILLIAM, HARPER, PAYTON, SAVANNAH, CHRISTIAN, EVERETT, NATALIE, and JACOB. She is also survived by her brother, ALEX, and sister, GAIL.
CHARLENE was born to CHARLES and GERTRUDE RAWLEIGH in 1949 and grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated from Butler High School, then went on to graduate from St. Vincent’s Nursing School in Birmingham, Alabama in 1970. She worked in the labor and delivery unit of Decatur General Hospital and was an expert lactation consultant. Over the years, hundreds of new mothers relied on her for advice, and she often made house calls to help them. She was a beloved coworker and nurse.
In 1972 she and TONY married and moved to Wren, Alabama where they began renovating an old farmhouse. The house grew alongside their family and was always filled with CHARLENE’S loving presence. Her garden was a beautiful expression of her planning and hard work. She spent many summers in her kitchen canning and preserving the bounty of the garden she kept alongside TONY.
CHARLENE’S favorite thing in the world was to hold a newborn baby. Anyone fortunate to spend time with CHARLENE would describe her as good and faithful. God especially blessed her with a selfless heart and ability to nurture. Not only family delighted in and witnessed this blessed soul but also neighbors, a community, and dear friends. Her charity extended freely to all. Were anyone from any walk of life in need of shelter, clothing, food, or drink, CHARLENE would give all and want nothing in return. She spent many hours hand sewing and smocking clothing for her children and many others in the community. The care she gave her husband during his fight with Alzheimer’s was dutiful and saintly. For every day in her babies’ and grandbabies’ lives CHARLENE had the strength to hold them up and be glad in them. There is not enough patience, forgiveness, love, or warmth to go around for more than a few people such as her to live on the earth at once. No one could forget and one can only pray to God that her memory lives on forever.
A celebration of her life will be held at Parkway Funeral Home in Trinity, Alabama on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. followed by a service at 2:00 p.m. The family will hold a private graveside service.
