Deacon Thomas Leroy “TL” Williams, the son of the late Rev. Dr. Levi W. Williams and Ella Mae Davis Williams, was born November 25, 1937 in Sumter County. He departed this earthly life on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at Palmetto Health Tuomey Hospital, Sumter. At the age of 12, he joined Joshua Baptist Church, where he served faithfully as the Chairman of the Trustee Board for 20 plus years, Chairman of the Deacon Board and as an Adult Sunday School teacher for 20 years. He was a member of the Male Chorus, Second Sunday Choir and sang with the RL Williams Singers. He was also an active member of the Catchall Masonic Lodge #425. He was educated in the public schools of Sumter County and graduated from Morris College with a Degree of Bachelor of Science. After college, he served in the United States Army. He was employed in Sandersville, GA as a math teacher where he met and married the love of his life, Annette D. Smith who preceded him in death. He moved to South Carolina and was employed by Sumter School District Two as a math teacher for 30 years before retiring. He taught math at the Morris College Upward Bound Program for many years and tutored anyone who needed help in math. He was a Collegiate and High School Official where he officiated basketball and football games throughout the State of South Carolina for 30 plus years. Throughout this tenure, he officiated in several state championship games for basketball and football. He was one of the first to be inducted into the South Carolina Basketball Officials Association Hall of Fame in 2002. Deacon Williams is survived by: one son, Darryll (Cynthia) Gadson of Durham, NC; three daughters, Lori (Dante’ Sr.) Marshall of Clinton, MD, Tonya Williams of Wellford, Dionne (William) Carter of Potomac Falls, VA; one brother, Rev. Roosevelt (Berneatha) Williams of Sumter; five sisters, Edith Wiggins of Tennille, GA, Queen Spann of Sumter, Rosalie Williams of Cheraw, Ruth King of Clinton MD, Irene (Gene) Curry of Union, NJ; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; a host of brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and close friends. The family will receive relatives and friends from 4 to 7 p. m. at the home, 1135 Spann Street, Sumter. Homegoing Celebration services will be held Saturday, January 5, 2019 –1 p. m. from the Joshua Baptist Church, 5200 Live Oak Road, Dalzell, with the Rev. Eugene Dennis, Pastor, Eulogist, Rev. William Jefferson, presiding. Wake services will be held from 5 to 7 p. m., Friday, in the John Wesley Williams, Sr. Memorial Chapel, Williams Funeral Home, Inc., 821 North Main Street, Sumter. The Remains will be placed in the church at 12 noon. The funeral procession will leave from the home at 12:20 p. m. Burial will be in the Joshua Baptist Churchyard Cemetery.
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