Pat Williams

Patricia Karraker Williams of Drew, Mississippi, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on February 8, 2023, at Walter B. Crook Nursing Facility in Ruleville.   

Pat, as she was known, was the daughter of Harvey William and Jessie Clements Karraker of Tutwiler and was born on January 22, 1932.  She grew up in Tutwiler, attended school there, and graduated from Cleveland High School in 1949.  On June 19, 1949, she married Guy Brower Williams. Pat spent her entire married life in Drew raising her family and never turning down an opportunity to make Drew a wonderful community. She was a faithful member of Drew Baptist Church, serving in many roles, but especially with her beautiful soprano voice in the choir.  She especially enjoyed working in her beautiful back yard and rose garden and was a lifetime member of the Drew Garden Club.  She was a member of The Miss Delta Rose Society, a National Flower Show Judge, Beautification Chairman of the State Garden Clubs, a Master Gardener, and a member of the Drew Culture Club.  She especially enjoyed accompanying her late husband to Jackson for sessions of the State Legislature, where he served 3 terms in the Mississippi House of Representatives.  After the death of her husband in 1987, she opened Garden Gate Nursery and Flowers where she was able to continue to use her floral talents until her retirement.  Even after retirement, when anyone in Drew needed roses, they came to Pat where she would always provide them with what they needed from her beautiful back yard.

She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her son Guy Patrick Williams, and one sister Nanette Karraker Hamilton.

She is survived by her daughter, Sally Williams Burnett (Pete) of Madison and her son, Glenn Harvey Williams of Cleveland.  She is also survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandaughters whom she loved dearly. They are Jan Burnett Griffin of Hernando, Lisa Burnett (Simon Van Zuydam) of Zug, Switzerland, Kristen Williams (Declan Harrick) of Sydney, Australia, Guy Williams (Elizabeth) of Arlington, Virginia, and Jonathan Williams of Monterey, California, two great-grandchildren, Makenley and Larkyn Griffin of Hernando, along with two special nieces, Gayla Marley and Karla Foster of Clarksdale.    

Words cannot express our thanks to the staff at Walter B. Crook for their loving care for Mamaw.  While we are sad that she is no longer with us, we are happy that she is reunited with her husband and son, and with the lover of her soul, Jesus Christ.

Services are scheduled for Thursday, February 16 at 2:00 p.m. at Drew Baptist Church with burial to follow in Drew Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the church. Memorials may be made to Drew Cemetery Friends, 37 Bethany Church Road, Merigold, MS 38759 or Drew Baptist Church Memorial Fund, 139 South Church Street, Drew, MS 38737.