Marybeth Williams

A celebration of life service for Mary Elizabeth Williams of Jackson will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. Dr. Grant F.C. Gillard will officiate. Private burial is to be in the City Cemetery in Jackson.

Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson is in charge of arrangements.

Friends may call at the church from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, and there will be a PEO memorial service.

Mrs. Williams, 55, died Sunday, April 27, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

She was born June 22, 1952, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Max Kurre and Marilyn Hackward Prill. She was married to Kirk Williams Sept. 29, 1984, at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau.

She was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson.

She graduated from Jackson High School in 1970 and received a bachelor of science degree in home economics from Southeast Missouri State University. She continued her education and received a master's degree in vocational education administration from California State University in Sacramento.

Mrs. Williams had been executive director of Jackson Chamber of Commerce since April 2005. She had been a member of the chamber since 1979 and was a lifelong Jackson resident. She owned the Green House Floral Shop and was later employed as a designer by MidAmerica Hotels. She taught home economics at schools in Florida and Missouri, and then managed the Fantastiks Retail Gift Store 10 years.

Marybeth loved the Jackson Homecomers event each year. She was truly looking forward to the 100th anniversary celebration in July.

She received a Girl Scouts of Otahki Council Women of Impact Award. She currently was participating in the Delta Leadership Institute through the University of Alabama, completed Leadership Missouri through the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and developed the Leadership Jackson Program.

Mrs. Williams was a past member/president of the Jackson Public Library Board, charter member of PEO Chapter LA and past president, member of American Business Women's Association, past president and Woman of the Year, member of the Missouri Local Pageant Association, Miss Missouri Scholarship local pageant director, PEO Missouri State Chapter second vice president and past member of Jackson R-2 School Foundation Board.

She was also a member of PEO since 1971 and was scheduled to serve as Missouri state president of that organization in 2010. She was very active in the American Business Women's Association and was Woman of the Year in 2001.

Numerous other involvements include the Miss Missouri Scholarship Pageant, Jackson Tourism Committee, Homecomers Entertainment Committee, Jackson R-2 School Foundation secretary, Jackson Public Library Board of Trustees, Jackson Heritage Association, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Chamber of Commerce Executives, Missouri Travel Council, River Heritage Tourism Association, United Way of Southeast Missouri Board of Directors and Jackson Community Outreach Board.

Surviving is her husband; mother, Marilyn Prill of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Cynthia Howell of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; a nephew, Kenneth Trent Howell of Poplar Bluff; a niece, Gaye Lynn (Ron) Henry of Choctaw, Okla.; and two great-nephews, Brendan and Collin Henry of Choctaw.

She was preceded in death by her father.

Memorials may be made to Jackson R-2 Foundation, First Presbyterian Church, ABWA or PEO.