Iona Williams

Please see the Obituary below; and I have attached the funeral & graveside events also.

Iona Beatrice White, the third of seven children, was born to William Taylor and Beatrice White on February 4, 1938. She was raised in Orange County, Virginia where she was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church. After graduating from George Washington Carver School, Iona moved to Washington, DC where she worked as a Domestic. In 1956, she met and married Roland Wiliams, Jr. From this union, came Deborah Ann and Larry Donnell Williams. She was a faithful member of First Rising Mt Zion Baptist Church before joining the First Baptist of Highland Park on her Christian experience in 2007.

Iona started her career with DC Public School’s as a Teacher’s Aide where she worked at Richardson Elementary School with children of special needs. Iona was very patient and loved working with children, especially when it comes to properly pronouncing letters and words. Many years later, Iona’s teaching assignment was transferred to Fletcher Johnson Elementary after Richardson closed in 1997. Iona also worked parttime at the Journal Newspaper on the weekends for several years. After over 30 years of working in her field of passion, Iona retired.

Iona was a wise & precious soul who very seldom missed anything going on around her. Her smile would warm your heart. Her jovial laughter could be heard throughout the house whether she was talking on the phone or watching TV. She enjoyed her retired lifestyle immensely. She loved watching Matlock & Golden Girls, but her favorite TV shows were westerns like Bonanza, Big Valley, Virginian, Rifleman, & Gunsmoke. Iona could also tell you what was going to happen on every, I mean, every episode of the Andy Griffin show. It was nothing for her to jump in her car and travel home to Virginia on the weekends. She and her friends, especially her dear friend, Ms. Diane Pierce, would take a cruise, or travel to Lancaster to see a play; as well as take trips to North Carolina and Ocean City until her health began to fail. Iona looked forward to her daily phone call from her favorite grandson, Devin. She loved to travel to Las Vegas to visit her great-grands whenever she was able. Her final days were filled with talking and laughing with two of her great-grandchildren, Little Devin & Ellie Mae in Las Vegas on her Alexa.

After many years of enduring end-stage renal failure along with other health problems, Iona peacefully transitioned while at home on February 24th. She persevered and exemplified extraordinary resilience, unwavering faith, and courage in the face of her illnesses. The Lord blessed her to live a long and fruitful life; and brought her through several hospitalizations over the last several years. She fought a good fight; she kept the faith; and now she is resting in the arms of the Lord Jesus!!

Iona is survived by her daughter, Deborah (Robert); her son, Larry (Pat); 6 grandsons, Michael, Devin (Sarahna), Aaron, Jeloni, Isaiah & Johua (Aisha); 12 great grands; one sister, Virginia Toney; and two brothers Franklin & Nathaniel White; 5 nieces, 1 nephew; and a host of great nieces & nephews, cousins, and friends.

Iona was preceded in death by her parents, William Taylor & Beatrice White, her baby sister, Estelle White and her two eldest brothers, Leroy & William White.

Attachments area