Martha Ann (Wafler) Williams

Martha Ann Wafler Williams
Martha Ann Williams went home to be with Jesus on June 19th , 2024 at Redlands Community Hospital in Redlands, CA. She was 93 years old. Martha was born in Granite City, Illinois September 26th, 1930, right at the beginning of the Great Depression. She
was the last of 6 children born to Herman and Grace Wafler. Because of the hardships of the depression, Herman and Grace lost their beautiful home in Dongola, Illinois and had to relocate their family to Steele, Missouri where they lived in a chicken house behind Martha's Aunt Ethel's home. This is where Martha grew up until she was 7 years old at which time they were able to move into a "real" home, "the big house" down the street.

Martha's father was a WWI Veteran who was gassed in the war and suffered from physical ailments and emphysema all her life. Because of his injuries and illness, he was gone for months at a time at the VA hospital so that Martha's mother became the matriarch of the family, finding different jobs she could do to help her family survive and thrive while trusting God for all they needed. Her mother never complained and by her example taught her family what it was to endure hardships with grace, faith, hard work and love. The family never felt poor, and Martha excelled at school, loved to have fun and became All State Guard in the High School Women's basketball team. It was a small high school, and all knew each other well and had fun in the little town of Steele.

When Martha graduated from High School, she had wanted to go to nursing school, but
they didn't have the money. So, she moved to Caruthersville, Missouri with her sister,
Edyth, where they lived in a boarding House together. She worked at a place by the
river doing bookkeeping and accounting for a store. The employees where she worked
all decided to hire a bus and take a trip to Nashville to attend the Grand Ole Opry. It
was on this trip she met her husband-to-be, John Allen Williams, a World War II Army
veteran who had served in Germany. When she got home that night, she told her sister
"I met the man I'm going to marry".

Martha and John got married in 1951 and started a family, but work was hard to come
by in the little town of Caruthersville, so John followed his brother to California, moving
his little family of 2 baby daughters, Pam and Karen, far away from Martha's beloved
family and friends. In California, they had a son, David Allen Williams, to complete their
family.

Life was hard for Martha, being alone and so far away from those she loved dearly, but
she, with determination and faith, poured all her heart and soul into her beautiful little
family and into John's family members who had also moved to California. She was fun
to be around and always had a great sense of humor. She eventually worked part time
at Broadway/Macy's department store for over 25 years as a Cashier/Accountant
responsible for counting and managing all the company's money. Until the month she
passed away, she meticulously balanced her checkbook to the penny every month!

Outside of her family, her greatest love was Jesus and she taught her children the
importance and power of faith. John also became a believer in Jesus and together they
raised their family in a little Southern Baptist Church. A normal life was Sunday School
and church on Sunday morning, a hot homecooked meal on Sunday afternoon, Sunday
night service, and a Wednesday Night Potluck and bible study. Each night she read her
children bible stories and taught them to pray. John became a deacon and a well-
respected and sought out source of wisdom for anyone who needed insight.

Her love for and faith in Jesus gave Martha deep joy and strength, carrying her through
many losses and heartaches in life. She was held by the strong arms of God and
always managed to smile and be kind in the face of pain. She never quit in difficulties
but found strength and grace to press on despite challenges and oppositions she faced.
In her last days of life, she said she wanted to tell everyone to "love Jesus" as her last
word to her family and anyone she had contact with. To love Jesus was everything to
her even in the painful last part of her journey home. She fought the good fight of faith,
prayed for many, many people who don't even know they were prayed for, loved with
every ounce of strength she had and is now home safe with Jesus Whom she loved and
trusted throughout her life.

Martha is survived by her daughter, Karen Williams of Banning, CA, her sister, Edyth
(Burdette) Acuff, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, many nieces and nephews, friends, and a
host of people who loved her and were touched by her love and finally, her beloved dog,
Coco.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John Allen, her son, David Allen Williams and
her daughter, Pamela Grace Williams.

A service will be held at Fellowship Church in Beaumont, CA on July 12th at 10:30 a.m.
followed by a simple lunch at the church. Martha will be buried at Live Oak Cemetery in
Monrovia, CA where her son, David, daughter, Pam, brother-in-law, Charlie Williams
and mother-in-law, Frona Holland, are buried. Graveside service will be at 2:00 p.m. on
July 12th .

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