Mrs. Dessie S. Williams was born on March 23, 1931 in Hathorn, Mississippi to the family of the late Mr. & Mrs. Dave and Lillie Mae Smith. Being from a unique family of 12 brothers and sisters, who all had nicknames, Dessie was known as "Miss Toddy."

She joined the Nazareth Missionary Baptist Church, Mendenhall, Mississippi at an early age under the pastorate of the late Reverend J.E. Marsh of Jackson, Mississippi. The late Mrs. Williams graduated from Harper High School and completed further studies and training that enabled her to perform various teaching jobs in Simpson County, Mississippi and other surrounding areas. She was united in Holy Matrimony to the late Mr. Otis "O.T." Johnson of Mendenhall, Mississippi and to that union they had a precious baby girl, Linda Joyce. Later, she had another precious girl, Brenda Faye. She was also married to the late Reverend Earl Williams, Jr. In later years, she moved to Saginaw, Michigan, where she was employed at Covenant HealthCare (formerly known as Saginaw General Hospital) until her health began to decline.

Mrs. Williams departed this life on Sunday, October 21, 2018 at Simpson General Hospital, Mendenhall, Mississippi. She is preceded in death by parents, Mr. & Mrs. Dave and Lillie Mae Smith; six brothers, Winfred Jay, Roosevelt, Shelley Lee, Lenon, Clinton, and Larry; two sons-in-law, Willie Capels and M.C. Mac Miley.

She leaves to mourn her passing: two devoted daughters, Mrs. Linda Joyce Johnson-Miley, Byram, Mississippi and Mrs. Brenda Faye Capels, Braxton, Mississippi; three grandchildren, Kimberly (Anthony) Herbert, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Perry (April) Miley, Terry, Mississippi, and Cory "Moose" Miley, Byram, Mississippi; four great grandchildren, Anthony L. Herbert, II, Christian Herbert, Parker Kade Miley, and Shelby-Grace Miley; four sisters, Mrs. Celess McEwen, Foxworth, Mississippi, Mrs. Rosa Moore, Valdosta, Georgia, Mrs. Alyce (Glenn) Durr, Tyler, Texas, and Mrs. Patricia Walker, Jackson, Mississippi; one brother, Mr. Felton A.D. (Reba) Smith, Mendenhall, Mississippi; two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Shirley Smith, Mendenhall, Mississippi, and Mrs. Annie B. Smith, Baltimore, Maryland; four special cousins, Mrs. Margaret (Rommie) Treble, Stone Mountain, Georgia, Mrs. Anne Shirley Guester, Mr. John Watts, and Mr. Jack Young, Saginaw, Michigan; and also, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.