Lillie (Williams) Prater

Lillie Williams was born on Saturday, March 30,1940 to the late Arthur (Aus) Williams and Gala Forman Williams of Ashville, Alabama.

Lillie was given the nickname “Lorene” by her older brother, Samuel. 

Lillie confessed Christ at an early age at St. Paul United Methodist Church Ashville, Alabama. She was a very active member of her church and Ashville Colored High School. She was Miss Ashville Colored High and a member of the basketball team. She graduated from Ashville Colored High School in 1958.

She is preceded in death by her brother, Willie Frank Williams; sisters, Mamie Alice Williams and Dorothy Lucille Evans; two grandchildren, Anthony Ray Mostella, Jr., and Tanisha Woods and one great-grandson Malikih Montgomery.

She married the father of her five children at a very young age, the late Lester Earl Woods.  Bruce, Reflesia, Loretha, Craig, and Marty. 

Lillie joined her husband Ray’s church Thankful Baptist Church. Lillie loved her church family and called them by name often. She served as the President of the Senior Usher Board for many years and was a Deaconess. She along with Mrs. Margaret Keller started an annual day that is still celebrated “Taste of the South”. She wrote a skit that was performed by the youth of Thankful Baptist. Her hobbies during her amazing life included writing poetry and skits, gardening, cooking, quilting, embroidery and photography. Ray and Lillie received the beautification award for their beautiful flower garden. Lillie’s photograph of her “Christ in the Manger” plant, was published by the International Library of Photography.

She met the love of her life, the late Timothy Ray Prater at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Gadsden, AL. They were married March 24, 1989. To this union Ray brought his daughter, Charlene and Lillie brought her five children to this union, which lasted until Ray departed from this life on April 8, 2024.

Lillie departed this life on Thursday, October 16, 2025. 

She leaves to cherish her memories her children, Bruce Bernard (Hazel) Woods of Ellerbe, NC, Reflesia (Morris) Fitch of Bessemer, AL, Loretha (DeWayne) Bradford of Chelsea, AL, Craig Woods of Trussville, AL, Marty (HueLanda) Woods of Helena, AL;  bonus daughter, Charlene (Derick) Davis of Piedmont, AL; 19 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Samuel "Bus" (Alice) Williams, of Ashville, AL, a amazing niece, Kellie Cherie Hardwick, two special friends, Margaret Keller and “Tiny Bud” and a host of relatives, friends. 

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