Willie Grey Brantley Sykes Williams

Willie Grey Brantley Sykes Williams 1936-2025, originally of Brantleytown Rd in Zebulon NC, and recently of Wake Forest NC, went to be with her Heavenly Father on July 19 th , 2025, surrounded by her beloved Brantley family. Willie was preceded in death by her husband, John W Williams Jr, her parents, Graham and Ina Brantley, and her nine older siblings: Margaret, Bud, Addie, Bill, Leroy, Betty, Inez, Butler, and Frankie.
Born tenth to a close-knit farming family, no matter how far she traveled, Willie never forgot the importance of her roots. With a proud patriotic legacy dating back to the original English settlers of our country more than 400 years ago, Willie became the first American-born Brantley descendant to earn a college degree. She began her professional life as a file clerk in 1956, and retired as Director of Charleston Southern’s Evening College in 1991, with three college degrees to her credit.
Newly married to her high school sweetheart, Jimmy Grey Sykes, and leaving her rural country home at age 20, Willie accompanied him across the country and back again for the next 30 years, living in Cocoa FL, San Jose CA, and Charleston SC. She embraced life’s changes with positivity and enthusiasm, making lasting memories and countless devoted friends along the way.
In 1991, Willie found new love and new life in Charleston SC with John Williams. Both retired and ready to travel, they spent the next twelve romantic years together driving all over our beautiful country to take in the sights, enjoy their grandchildren and visit the bevy of friends Willie had made along her life’s journey. After John’s passing in 2003, Willie relocated to Saint Marys GA to be near her daughter Jennel. Her final move was a return to her beloved NC family in 2018 to enjoy independent retirement living at The Lodge of Wake Forest, where she continued to develop deep friendships that filled her days with happiness and purpose.
Through her leadership and volunteer spirit, wherever she found herself, Willie’s enthusiasm and ideas always made things better. Elected president of women’s clubs in both Florida and California, as well as hospital auxiliaries, she set new standards for both organizations in fundraising, membership, outreach, and programs. In recognition of the time and effort she gave to the betterment of community, country, and profession, Willie was nationally recognized as a 1970 Outstanding Young Woman of America. No matter where the adventures of life took her, Willie relied on and renewed her Baptist faith through regular church fellowship and attendance.
Willie is survived by her daughters, Jennel Sykes Wise of Louisburg NC, and Denise Sykes Cohen (Phil) of Decatur GA, her beloved step-children Tim Williams (Shauna) of Orem UT and Diana Clark (Dave) of Summerville SC, her grandchildren, Kevin Wise, Jacob Wise (Alex), Julia Cohen, Jeremy Cohen, Jonathan Clark (Rae), Melinda Harvey (AJ), Rebecca Webb (Alex), Robert Williams (Jessica), and Kaytlan Tate (Jake), as well as nine great-grandchildren and 162 nieces and nephews. Willie will be lovingly remembered, sorely missed, and never forgotten.
Funeral services will be held at the family church for more than 100 years, Poplar Spring Baptist Church, located at 89 Brantleytown Rd in Zebulon NC, on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 2:00pm. Visitation will be held from 1:00pm to 1:45pm prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Zebulon (Town) Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Willie would like you to consider making a contribution to the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org in her memory.
Strickland Funeral Home & Crematory, 211 W. Third St., Wendell, www.stricklandfuneral.com, is serving the Williams family.

Willie’s Life of Faith

Willie was born into a close-knit farming family and raised in a Christian home, centered on faith, family, and love. She grew up right here in this very church where we are honoring her today. Willie married her high school sweetheart in 1956, a year after their 1955 Bunn High School graduation, in a class of only 54 members. Jimmy Grey had completed his one-year technician training program in Gastonia NC and received a job offer to move to Florida and begin his lifelong career in the space industry. He said he’d go, if Willie would come with him. She said yes, and they were married two weeks later in the parsonage at Pine Ridge Baptist Church. The advice they received from the pastor that day set the path for her lifelong walk with Christ. After the ceremony, he told them to find a church as soon as they arrived in Florida, where they would find some good Christian folks to make as friends. And they did just that. Sixty-nine years later and still in contact with each other, the last one of those original friends passed away just recently, within a few months of Willie’s passing.
They began attending the King Street Baptist Church in Cocoa FL, where they led the teenagers of the church, took them on trips and built the youth group up to be a large active program. They later transferred their membership to King Street mission church, a small start-up church with only a few members. Since Jennel was the only baby at the church and with no nursery, she attended Sunday School and church with the adults. Willie oversaw the creation of a children’s program, which included a nursery, so by the time Denise came along, there was a place for both of the girls. That mission church grew to become Clearlake Baptist Church, and thousands of members later, is still spreading the Gospel to this day, at the very same location in Cocoa, FL.
When Jimmy’s job transferred them to California in 1972, the first order of business was to find a Southern Baptist Church… not an easy task in that state of countless religions. But they found Foxworthy Baptist Church and soon we were all attending regularly. Willie and Jimmy joined Sunday School and the girls became involved in the Youth Activities, becoming baptized in 1973. It wasn’t the same as a Baptist Church in the South, not near as many covered-dish fellowships, and no banana pudding or pecan pie, but they preached from the Bible and that was the important thing.
The last job transfer for Jimmy was to Charleston SC in 1977, where they bought a house near the Navy base so Jimmy, with his diminished vision, had only a short drive to work. They immediately joined Highland Park Baptist Church in Hanahan SC, which became their church home. With so much to see and do in beautiful Charleston, Willie continued to share her social gifts by planning fun-filled activities and adventures for the normally sedentary seniors of the church.
It was ten years later, in 1987, that Willie saw John Williams (or rather John saw Willie) for the first time at a church event for older adults. John actually liked to say that Willie rescued him from the “God’s Waiting Room” Sunday School class for Senior Adult Men, because she brought joy and laughter back into his life, after the loss of his wife. They began attending church activities and outings all over the Charleston area, and were married in 1991, alongside their closest family and friends.
Moving to Georgia after John’s death in 2003, Willie attended church with Jennel’s family, and, still the early bird, was always the first one in the door for the 11am service. Jennel liked to say Willie made sure she was there to help the pastor unlock the building and fold the bulletins. It was a blessing for both Willie and Jennel to once again be worshipping together.
Her final move back to NC and The Lodge was made easier knowing that she could attend church right there with her friends without the need to drive anywhere. Having the Baptist Seminary close by was a wonderful opportunity for her to enjoy the young seminary students rotating for the services held at the Lodge’s chapel. After lunch on Sunday, Willie and her friends would head down the hall and take their seats for the service that started an hour later. Waiting together on the service to begin was a time of fellowship and laughter that she always cherished.
Willie followed her faith and relied on that foundation throughout her entire life. Through countless blessings and difficult losses, she knew her Lord and Savior was with her. Life brings many changes, but God is a constant. Turn to him in times of joy and in times of sorrow, and you will always find unparalleled comfort and love. Her life is an example of that commitment, and she wanted to share that at her passing.