Cleone Selman Williams Carter made the journey from her temporary home to her eternal home on the morning of Monday, March 14, 2011. Born in Warren, Texas February 8, 1917 to Forest and Josie Selman she lived in Port Arthur, Texas until 1924 and then moved to Lumberton for the remainder of her earthly life. She graduated from Silsbee High School with honors in 1934, married and raised her family. At the age of 49 began attending Lamar University achieving honors and a senior status.
Mom laughingly would like to say she was ninety four years old or sixty with thirty-four years experience. She was a very active member of Fletcher Emmanuel Baptist Church for over eight-five continuous years and bragged that in all those years only five Sundays were missed until her recent illness.
The lives that she touched and the service to her Lord can be found in the 31st chapter of Proverbs. "She was known to man and God as a virtuous woman."
Ms. Carter was known to those in the church as the hug lady; for her arms were always open to those she considered as her extended family and those she hoped to make her extended family. She also was the quilt lady having quilted hundreds of quilts and donated the proceeds to the church for missions, building funds and youth activities.
She retired from the Beaumont Enterprise in 1986 with over thirty years of service in the composition and advertising departments. Her membership and vigorous participation in the Liberty Bell Chapter of the American Business Womens Association was one of her favorite activities. Her homegrown plants, homemade quilts and crocheted afghans were highly sought after in the many fund raisers that were held for various charities. She also was a staunch supporter of the educational system in Chance, then Chance-Loeb and now Lumberton School systems. She served on the board advisory committees, PTA president as well as a second Mom and Grannie to many of the youth who are now productive citizens of the Lumberton community. During the World War II years, she volunteered to drive a school bus for the Lumberton/Chance/Loeb schools and many young lives were touched by her loving kindness.
She is survived by daughters Jo Beth Williams Hopper and husband Bill of Mobile, Alabama; Selma Williams Wilson and Pam Kirkpatrick of Vidor; daughter-in-law Charlotte Williams of Lumberton; grandchildren Bonnie Wright of Jacksonville, Florida, Pam Terrell and Alta Okun of Lumberton, Lee Ann and Billy Weston of Fairhope, Alabama, Mark and Anita Wright of Mobile, Alabama, Charlene Williams, Evie Williams and Delbert Lange of Lumberton, Sammie Williams Marth of Houston and Charles "Chuck" Williams of Phoenix, Arizona; along with eleven great-grandchildren and eight great, great grandchildren with one more on the way, all being brought up with love, devotion and a strong Christian foundation on which to stand.
Ms. Carter was preceded in death by her parents Forest and Josie Selman, husbands Herbert Adair Williams, Sr. and Jonnie C. Carter; her son Herbert Adair Williams, Jr., granddaughter Patricia Wright Moss; sisters Nanny Bell Trahan and Margaret McDonald and brother Dr. Ben Selman.
Through this toilsome world, alas!
Once and only once I pass.
If a kindness I may show,
If a good deed I may do,
To my suffering fellow man
Let me do it while I can
Nor delay it, for it is plain,
I shall not pass this way again.
It is requested that donations to the South Point Church of Lumberton building fund be made in lieu of flowers.
Funeral services will be 10:00am Friday, March 18, 2011 at South Point Church. Visitation will begin 5:00pm Thursday, March 17, 2011 at Farmer Funeral Home.
