Mother Curlie Williams

Mother Curlie B. Felton Howard-Williams passed away on Saturday, September 17, 2022. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at First Victory Cathedral, 1920 E. Sligh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610 with Bishop Michael Lewis, Officiating. Interment will follow in Orange Hill Cemetery. MASK RECOMMENDED.

Mother Curlie was born to the union of Banks and Esther Felton in Rochelle, GA. As a young girl the family moved to Brooklyn NY, where she attended school. In later years, the family moved to the South to Fort Pierce, FL. In 1955 Curlie became a resident of Tampa, FL until her recent demise. She gave her life to Jesus Christ as a young girl. She loved to sing gospel music and to praise the Lord. She worked in Hillsborough County Schools Food Nutrition Services as an Area Head and retired in 1998. Cooking was one way she loved people. She poured out her life in service to others. On her job, she often spoke of the kids and how she would take time to stop to listen to them speak of their problems and would always point them, or anyone else to the Lord.

She was preceded in death by: her father, Banks Felton; mother, Esther Felton; son, Willie Howard Jr.; daughter, Diane Howard Melton; sister, Alberta Richardson; husbands, Willie Howard Sr., and Robert Williams; brother, Ernest Felton; niece, Joann Felton; and nephews, Charles Felton, and Troy Bacon.

She leaves to cherish her memories: her sons, Rev. Lorinza Howard (Celeste), Ellis Howard (Cynthia), Robert Lee, and Rubin Lee; daughters, V. Maxine Howard, Cheryl Lee, Twanda Howard, and Carolyn Helm (Elder Ernest); grandsons, Richard Wilson Jr. (Pauline), Maurice Perkins (Ursula), Lorinzo Howard Jr., Kyle Brown, Marcus Lee, and Marvell Lee; granddaughters, Robertina Lee, and Monique Lee; brother, Nathaniel Felton; nieces and nephews, Tanya Snelling, Twanda Taylor (Walter), Ernest Haynes (Sandra), Larry Watkins (MaryAnna), Robert Watkins, and Corey Felton (Keisha), and a host of others including grands, great grands, nieces, nephews and cousins.

The visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7, 2022, at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606.  MASK RECOMMENDED.

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