PRESTON WILLIAMS SR.

August 23, 1933 - March 29, 2014

Preston Lee Williams, Sr., 80, a long-time resident of the Kankakee area, died Saturday, March 29, 2014 at Presence St. Mary’s Hospital. Visitation will be Friday, April 4, 2014 from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with time set aside from 6:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. for friends to share reflections. Funeral services will be Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at Shiloh Full Gospel Baptist Church. Pastor Alan Roundtree will officiate. Burial will be in Mound Grove Gardens of Memory. Preston Lee Williams, Sr. was born August 23, 1933 in Macon, Mississippi to Daisy B. Springer. He accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Truevine Baptist Church, Artesia, Mississippi. He attended Washington School in Artesia, Mississippi. He left Artesia as a teenager and ventured to Flint, Michigan to work. Shortly after that, he moved to Kankakee where he met and married Mary Louise Lofton on June 19, 1955, at the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, Kankakee. Preston worked at the Kankakee Foundry, U.S. Rubber, and Lehigh, as a laborer. He retired from Gould National Battery, as a machinist and union steward. He also served as a coach for the Kankakee Jaycees Little League, Pony and Colt Leagues and for the semi-professional Kankakee Lancers. He enjoyed bowling, singing, fishing, coaching, travelling and watching children, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, playing all sports. His true love, besides God and his family, was singing with the gospel group, The Gospel Humbleaires. He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Williams of Kankakee; sons, Terry Lofton of Kankakee and Preston Lee (Ivy) Williams, Jr. of Urbana, IL; daughter, Mary Jo Williams of Montgomery, AL; brothers, Johnie Lee (Mary) Ross of Columbus, MS and Robert Ross of Artesia, MS; sister, Lola (Cliff) Cole of Artesia, MS; sisters-in-law, Helen â€Å"Belle†Ross of Crawford, MS and Martha Lofton of Kankakee; grandchildren, Terek & Tiffany Lofton of Kankakee; Preston Lee Williams, III of Chicago, IL; Jacquelyn Deneen (Paul) Douglas of Urbana, IL, Jaymi Twkeis Hairston Ellis of Kankakee; Nia Monet Williams-Brown and Jordan Amir Logan both of Montgomery, AL; great-grandchildren, Ericka, Shakela, Stephon, Jaydyn and Genesys Lofton; Jonathan Omar Ward, Jaylin Kristpher and Jaymari Kristhin Hairston, Antoine Andre Ellis and JayAndre Ellis all of Kankakee; Micah Amiri Robinson of Montgomery, AL; Gemma Kye and Amaya Jade Douglas of Urbana, IL; great-great grandchildren, La’Nya Jones, Kristian Jennings, Kahshawn and Ahkyra Bowling and Aria Lofton all of Kankakee, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and his Cincinnati, OH family; God son, Keith Murphy of Kankakee; special friends, Odell Young, St. Louis, MO and Robert Turner, Nashville, TN; special cousins, Lizzie Samuels of Kankakee and Jimmy Brown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Preston was preceded in death by his mother, Daisy B. Ross, a daughter, Kristie Ann Hairston and special friend, Archie Napper. Special Thanks to Sherry Pankey, Camille Smith, Rebecca Smith, Roy, Garfield Jones and James Pendleton.