Florrie Jane (Janie) Cantrell Williams was born in Plantersville on Sept. 19, 1932 to the late Cecil Inzer Cantrell and Ione Gryder Cantrell. She grew up in Lee County, attended elementary school in Shannon and Plantersville, and graduated as co-valedictorian from Plantersville High School in 1950. She married Thomas Williams on Dec. 4, 1948, a marriage of 58 years until his death on Nov. 1, 2006. Janie was a lifelong active and faithful member of the Plantersville United Methodist Church where she served on the Administrative Board, was a Sunday School teacher in the children and adult departments, was substitute pianist and choir member and active in the WMU. Janie worked for 32 years as bookkeeper for Senter Transit Mix in Tupelo. Janie was a strong independent woman whose heart was always to support the underdog. She had a strong interest in child welfare, esp. foster care, where she devoted countless hours of volunteerism with the Department of Human Services beginning in 1985. Her faithful devotion led to the establishment of the first children’s sexual abuse awareness program in Lee County. She also served on the Governor’s Task Force on Foster Children, the Lee County Foster Care Review Board, the Curriculum committee for Miss. Law Enforcement Seminars and the Miss. State Juvenile Advisory Group. Janie revered children always advocating that “children are very special people”. Janie loved reading, keeping up with current events, church, community and family involvement, living large in her little stature and passionately serving her family, church and the greater world. Janie’s legacy will be that of a woman whose heart was larger than all outdoors and her passion, love, encouragement and watch care of others was always selfless, determined and purpose-filled.
A service celebrating her life will be held at 6 PM Thursday, May 23, 2024, at Plantersville Global Methodist Church, with her longtime pastor, Rev. Lynn Fair officiating. Visitation will be from 4:30 PM to service time. A private family committal service will follow later in the Williams Family Cemetery on their Plantersville farm. Holland Funeral Directors is honored to be serving their neighbors.
She is survived by her daughters, Laura Hankins (Bennie), and Sarah Johnson (Phil); grandchildren, Rep. Shane Aguirre, Jonathan Aguirre (Kirsten), Angie Gilmore (Jeff), Carrie Baldwyn (Blake), William Drummond (Smith Ann), Nikki Parmer, and Melanie Johnson; great-grandchildren, Josh and Eli Gilmore, Gryder and Grant Aguirre, Noah Johnson, Stormi Brown, Sky Gilliand, and Bailey and Presley Baldwyn; and her son-in-law, Peter Eng (Janey).
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Williams; her parents, Cecil and Ione Cantrell; daughter, Celia Eng (Peter); and step-grandson, Ronnie Johnson.
