Cecil Romero Williams

Mr. Cecil Romero "Joe Boy" Williams, 70, of Martin died Thursday, February 10, 2011, at Martin Health Care. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 19, 2011, at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Alvin J. Summers officiating. Interment will follow in Parham Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. at the church on Saturday. Pallbearers will be Wayne Clayton, Roylee Windham, Marcus Martin, Antwon Martin, Darshea Martin and Anthony Brasfield. Honorary pallbearers will be LC Martin, Roosevelt Martin, WC Martin, Dewey Rucker, Andre Counce and Melvin Minifee. He was born March 17, 1940, in Texarkana, Ark., son of the late Juliette (Lowe) Smith and Roevelt Williams. He married the former Gloria Dean in 1976. She died in 2004. He attended Washington Carver junior and senior high schools in El Dorado, Ark., and Wendell Phillips School in Kansas City, Mo. He had been employed by Burlington Northern Railroad and by Parker Hannifin. He was an avid bowler who participated in televised tournaments, was an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society and March of Dimes. Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Taymonia and Dewey Williams-Rucker of Independence, Mo.; his son, Vernon Reed of Greenbelt, Md.; two sisters and his brother-in-law, Jeanice and Andre Counce and Shirley Smith, all of Kansas City; his brother, Melvin Minifee of Kansas City; and his granddaughter, Danyell Rucker of Independence. He was also preceded in death by his grandmother, Annie Edwards. Rawls Funeral Home – Union City 731-885-8110