ROANOKE, VA – Saturday, a lifelong public servant will be laid to rest.
To many, Susan Williams was a beloved member of the community, but to her family, she was a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.
”She is a very short woman, I’m gonna be honest. But I would always describe her as like the fittest, shortest, strongest and scariest woman I know,” Susan’s grandmother Charlotte Williams said.
Susan Williams: a small but mighty force
“She’s the most spirited person I know; she’s also very strong in who she is,” Charlotte said.
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10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman had a chance to sit with Susan’s son, Trenor, and her granddaughter, Charlotte - to paint a picture of the life she lived
“81 years of service, of incredible impact, again to the people that she loved, to the community that she loved so much. Rather than focusing on the last minutes of her life, I think that if we’re going to honor her and do it well, it’s up to us to do that,” Trenor said.
To the world, she was an incredible public servant. But to Charlotte and her other three grandchildren, she was simply ‘Gran’.
“She was always just very there and loving, and yes, very spoiling, but I think she really enjoyed getting to do that,” Charlotte said.
Family was a cornerstone of her life, with over 50 years of marriage and a legacy of children and grandkids.
Trenor and Charlotte say this weekend is an opportunity to reminisce,
“She loved giving for the holidays. She literally started planning almost 12 months ahead of time,” Trenor said.
“I would find stuff under the bed when you would come to the house, and all of the presents would be under the bed and in the closet.,” “Charlotte said.
“Already!” Trenor said.
She instilled her passion for service in Trenor and her other son, Adam, who are both determined to carry on her work.
“She’s why I wanted to go into family medicine, she’s why I believed in primary care. It was that connection. And as I’ve started the last 10-year journey with the company ‘Socially Determined,’ that’s focused on social risks for those folks with food insecurity, housing instability, financial strain. I mean, she’s the reason I started the company,” Trenor said.
Trenor hopes his mom’s legacy will continue not only in the lives she touched but also in the lives he and his family will continue to impact.
“Continue to hold onto that idea of service, service to others, service to each other, and the care that we have for each other and how important that is,” he said.
The service takes place Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Episcopal Church.
