Charlotte Jean Wilbur Williams

Charlotte Jean Wilbur Williams, lovingly known as “Charlotte” peacefully passed away at home with her children surrounding her on August 1, 2025. A native of Plant City, Florida and a true “Florida Cracker” she was born June 4, 1938, in Lakeland, FL. Charlotte’s early childhood was spent in the community of Coronet Village, located near Coronet Phosphate Industries, a few miles from Plant City, FL where her father served as an Executive. Charlotte often recalled the joy of her early childhood playing with her older brother, Bobby and the many other children “at Coronet” and continued to maintain lifelong friendships formed with her playmates there.

Charlotte later attended Plant City High School, graduating in 1956 as both Class Valedictorian and Head Majorette. Not to stop there, Charlotte went on to Duke University at Durham, NC where she earned a Batchelor’s Degree in Nursing, becoming a Registered Nurse. It was while Charlotte was at Duke that she met the love of her life, her beloved Gene. The two met on a blind date and while Gene would famously say on first seeing Charlotte “just one look, that’s all it took” Charlotte was initially not convinced. She refused Gene’s attempt at a second date later saying, “he didn’t ask me the right way.” Gene soon learned of his un-chivalrous first attempt, corrected himself, asked Charlotte “the right way” for a second date and as it is often said, the rest is history. The couple were soon married on April 2, 1960.

Charlotte lovingly and dutifully accompanied Gene to his many AirForce base assignments. Beginning at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC the couple would go on to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH, from there to Bremerhaven, Germany, on to Resse AFB in Lubbock, TX, from there to Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM and lastly to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS in 1974 where the couple settled in Ocean Springs.

Over their many destinations, one thing was becoming very clear: Children. The couple arrived at Keesler with seven and would have five more in Ocean Springs. A total of twelve, an even dozen comprised of six boys and six girls. Besides Gene, the love of Charlotte’s life was her children. She saw each one of them as a special gift from God and her responsibility to “raise them right” as her vocation. Charlotte filled her house with classical music from Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Tchaikovsky utilizing all the masters as the base for her children’s musical education. She read bedtime stories from the Brother’s Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Peter Rabbit and Dr. Seuss creating a fairy-tale environment where lessons of kindness, forgiveness, morality, right and wrong were taught. Sunday evenings were reserved for family dinners. After dinner she insisted Gene read the children stories from the Bible, with quiz questions to follow. An annual viewing of “The Sound of Music” was mandatory. Employing lessons learned from her dear mother, Elsie, Charlotte’s daughters learned pattern sewing and how to walk with books balanced on their heads, shoulders back, chin raised, for correct posture. Her sons were taught explicitly on the art of asking a young lady out for a date “the right way.” All her children were instructed to “never leave home without looking your best, you never know who you might see.” Through countless sports practices, dance recitals, musical instrument instruction, cheerleading competitions, quiz bowl competitions, and most importantly through her love of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith, Charlotte dedicated her life to her children. Her love for children went past the love of her own to her children’s friends. Gene often joked he had just as many “yard children” as he had children of his own. Tragically, Charlotte lost one child, Joseph Robert, at the age of eight in an accident. On hearing the comment “at least she has eleven others” one of her closest friends quickly responded “no, Charlotte has 12 ONLY children!” Oh, how true. The family finds deep comfort in knowing that as Charlotte entered Heaven she was met with Joey’s smiling face, running full speed, leaping into her arms, followed closely by Gene.

Over the years as her children left the nest, Charlotte continued to be active in their lives and the lives of her grandchildren. She and Gene would regularly “make the circuit” travelling to each child’s house to visit. Charlotte also stayed active in her Catholic Faith singing with the choir at Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus. She also continued her love of music, regularly playing the organ and piano well into her eighties. She will be dearly missed.

Charlotte is preceded in death by her parents, Robert M. Wilbur and Elsie Greene Wilbur of Plant City, FL, her husband, Oscar E. (Gene) Williams, Jr., and her son, Joseph Robert Williams of Ocean Springs.

She is survived by her brother, Robert M. Wilbur, Jr. (Anita) of Punta Gorda, FL, her children, Patricia A. Kendrick (Ron), Linda C. Kasch (Mike), David E. Williams, Jonathan C. Williams (Tara), James H. Williams, Sarah K. Skupien (Walt), Laura E. Williams, Christina M. Valentine (Vince), Timothy A. Williams (Linsey), Rebekah S. Whittenberger (Merrill), Richard F. Williams (Angel), twenty-five grandchildren, two great- grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Friday, August 8, 2025 from 11 am to 12 pm, with a 12 pm Mass of Christian Burial at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs. Charlotte will be interred later at Oakview Cemetery in Lowndesboro, AL next to her beloved Gene and Joseph Robert.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of Charlotte Williams.