Beulah "Gigi" Luvenia Kearney Williams

Beulah Luvenia "Gigi" Kearney Williams, daughter of the late Joshua and Stella Pender Kearney was born in Franklin County, North Carolina. She was the third of ten children born to Joshua and Stella Kearney on August 4, 1910. A memorial service will be held 12:00 pm Saturday, March 14th, at Holloway Funeral Chapel in Durham, North Carolina. Beulah Williams graduated from Albion Academy in 1928 and received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from North Carolina College for Negroes (now North Carolina Central University) in 1932. She worked for Dr. James E. Shepard, founder of North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina to help finance her education. Beulah began her career working for the Department of Defense in Washington, DC. While in D.C., she met her future husband Edgar Warrenton Williams. In 1943, she married the late Edgar W. Williams and returned to North Carolina to work for The State School For Negro deaf, dumb and blind in Raleigh, NC. To this union of 59 years, three daughters, Jean Frances Williams, Jannye Stella Williams, and Beulah Kaye Williams-Rogers, two sons, Anthony Williams and preceded in death by Edgar Warrenton Williams, Jr. While raising her children, Beulah worked for Lincoln Hospital and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company from which she retired in 1975. Beulah was active and involved in her community. She served as president of the PTA at B.F. Person Elementary School in Franklinton, North Carolina, volunteered at her voting precinct later becoming precinct pole captain, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, member of Union Baptist Church, Durham, North Carolina, and a member of The Leisure Club in Durham, North Carolina. Beulah was adored and loved by all who came in her presence. She leaves to cherish her memory three daughters, Jean Frances Williams, Jannye Stella Williams and Beulah Kaye Williams-Rogers, and one son, Anthony Williams. She also leaves to two grandchildren, Jean Elizabeth Rogers and Brian Wayne Rogers, one sister Katie K. Rodwell of Franklinton, North Carolina; one son-n-law, Sterling Wayne Rogers; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and a special friend and neighbor Marie Robinson, Greensboro, North Carolina. Gifts in memory of Mrs. Beulah Kearney Williams can be made to: NCCU Foundation, Inc, P.O. Box 19363, Durham, NC 27707, with Beulah Kearney Williams memorial on the memo line.