Antionette Williams

Antionette Williams, of Mary Esther, FL passed away after daily visits from her family and friends on June 29, 2021 holding hands with her husband at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital - Covenant Hospice, Pensacola, FL.  Antionette was born on May 25, 1951 in Montgomery, Alabama to the late Willie James and Naomi Pernell.  She accepted Christ in the Catholic faith at an early age and was a faithful and dedicated member.  She enjoyed the military lifestyle moving from place to place and meeting new people.  She travelled with her family and served with her husband in the United States Air Force around the world from: Lowry CO, Hurlburt FL, Taiwan AB ROC, Kirtland NM, Shaw SC, Hurlburt FL, NATO Izmir Turkey, Langley VA and finally back to Hurlburt FL where she began a career working with children at the Hurlburt Child Development Center (CDC) where she spent her entire career.  Before her retirement from Hurlburt Field AFB, Child Development Center (CDC), Antionette found Joy and sustained healing power from little children “Little smiling blessings – 2 and 3 year olds” as she called them who lifted her spirit and miraculous gave her the inner-strength to battle on and on every time she returned to work after surgeries or chemo therapies.

Please teach the children:

“You is Kind. You is Smart. You is Important.”

THE HELP (Movie) 2011

  After retirement, she enjoyed spending time engraving at Plaque-Trophy, Etc., Hurlburt Field Skills Development Center with her husband and son.  She got solace from attending Mass, music, singing, children, solving puzzles, her iPad, scratch off tickets, and bingo.

Affectionately known as “Net or Nettie,” Antionette was deeply devoted to her family and friends.  She was a loving wife to Loveless Williams, III, to whom she was joined in marriage on February 14, 1970.  She was a loving and deeply caring sister to:  Maria Howard (Chrispus); mother to Tracy Pernell (Alma) , Loveless IV (Alicia), Douglas (Deanna) and Antony (Dawn); grandmother to Aaliyah, Natasha, Desiree (Jolbert), Alexis (Brandon), Zachariah, Alexander, Danielle; and great-grandmother to Elijah, Madelyn, Brayden and Dakari.  She was the Matriarch of the family.

Through divine intervention and her strong inter-faith; she fought a courageous battle with cancer(s) for the last twenty years with hope and prayers in her heart that geneticist specializing in the study of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) will find a cure very soon for all cancers and other devastating diseases because she wanted no one to go through such excruciating pain.

In 2012, she received a flag flown over the United States Capitol at the request of Honorable Jeff Miller a member of Congress in honor of her 25 + years (17 March 1987 – 30 May 2012) of faithful service to generations of children and the United States Air Force.  

To my Wife:  You were a very sweet, gentle and kind woman, even when your body was aching with pain day and night you would say calmly “It’s alright” or it’s OK.”  You would always try to assist me with your care, even when physically you could not.  You always wanted the best for each of your family members and friends and you were always happy when you heard of their achievements.  You appreciated when the love of your family and friends was returned to you, even in the simplest kinds of ways – a kiss, a hug, a phone call, a letter, a touch, a gift, a smile, or a kind word … although you did not expect this love to be shown in return, you were deeply gratified when it was shown.  Thank you Honey! I’ve always loved you in a very special way.  And treasured all the happiness you’ve given me and the entire family each day.  You will always be the best part of my life, and I am forever grateful that you are my wife.  Thank you for 51 plus years of marriage.  Your fight wasn’t easy, but God is Good All the Time, and we hung in there for each other.  I’ll be seeing you up there when God makes the call! I love you forever! Loveless

 The family of Antionette Williams acknowledges with sincere appreciation your acts of love and support shown towards our family during this difficult time.  The compassion you have demonstrated, whether it was in the form of kind words, flower arrangement, card, or a donation to fight cancer; our hearts can only rejoice in a spirit of gratitude for your acts of kindness to console our hearts. God bless you and may peace be with you. 

In Lieu of flowers, please support and donate to: Ora Lee Smith (Oncology) Cancer Research Foundation www.oralee.org and The American Cancer Society. Learn about different types of cancers + symptoms such as; colon, pancreatic, etc. and survive!  If not for you – Your family!

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