Verlo “Sally” (Carter) Williams, 96, of Coloma, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022 at Woodland Terrace of Paw Pw Lake.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Coloma United Methodist Church where the family will receive friends beginning one hour prior to the service. Donations in memory of Sally may be made to the church or the North Berrien Historical Society. Those wishing to leave an online message of remembrance may do so at www.duffieldpastrick.com.
Sally was born Aug. 20, 1926 in Coloma to Roger and Bertha (Geik) Carter. She married Donald K. Williams and had three sons who brought great joy to her life; Steven A. (Mary Spencer German) Williams of Rochester, N.Y.; Ross O. (Jeaneen Wichnal) Williams of Edwardsville, IL; and Matthew C. (John Strasinger) Williams of Port Orchard, WA.
After graduating from Coloma High School she earned a business degree from the South Bend College of Commerce and began working for V-M Corp in Benton Harbor in the Engineering Department. The family moved to New York where she was a paralegal in a Binghamton law office. After living in New York for 23 years, she moved back home to Coloma and worked for the Peter J. Johnson Law Office in St. Joseph.
Sally enjoyed gardening, reading, sewing, crocheting, and candle making, but had a special excitement for music. She spent many years as organist and accompanist, working with and directing church choirs and was a member of the Binghamton Symphony and Concert Choir. She was enlisted to revitalize the Union Center Choir that, along with the community, performed the Passion Play for 13 years in New York and Pennsylvania. The reputation of the Union Center Choir was such that they were asked to perform as the backup singers for Andy Williams in the Christmas segment of his concert in Binghamton. She also traveled and sang background with the one-man play “Simon Peter” for several years, including three weeks and several performances in England. She continued to work with church choirs after returning to Michigan. Through the years she has cherished all the many people who sang in her choirs, as well as those who gave their personal time to teach and help in special ways.
Sally is a lifetime member of the United Methodist Church, served many years on the Board of Directors of the North Berrien Historical Society, and a member of the Algonquin Chapter of the DAR. She volunteered at Kid’s Hope that mentors elementary children, the Food Pantry, Watervliet Lakeland Hospital, and North Berrien Senior Center. She has always been an ardent fan of the Chicago Cubs.
She leaves behind her three beloved sons, Steven, Ross, and Matt; her brother Roger Ronald Carter of Jenison, MI; her sister and caregiver, Janice (John) Reid of Coloma; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; along with nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Sally was preceded in death by sisters Phyllis Sprague of Benton Harbor, and Lorna vanKomen of Taylorsville, Utah.
FRANK MEGNA Jr.