In Memory of Our Dear Friend Emma Fay Williams

On Monday, September 23, 2012, our dear friend, Fay Williams passed away. She had fallen down her basement stairs and fractured her skull. It was a great shock to all. My heart filled with sorrow when I found out especially because Fay didn't get to see and hold her new great grandson, John. 

This is one of the times that Fay and George came to church with us. That day they came to hear me sing a solo. They were so supportive of both of us and were always so proud of us like we were their own grandkids.

When we moved in on Edgehill Rd. when we came to Cleveland 4 years ago, we were thrilled to meet our neighbors, Fay and George. They were so sweet and friendly to us, and we began a close and lasting friendship in which we took care of each other and shared some wonderful experiences. With Fay and George we learned that family extends beyond  age, beyond blood and beyond race. Family is love and that's what we shared. We enjoyed eating together and just bringing dinners over next door to each other when our neighbors were sick or just whenever. We visited often, and whenever we rang the doorbell, Bella, their little Yorkie would reinforce the doorbell by yapping as much as she could to alert her masters that we had arrived. Bella only listened to Fay. George is too much of a softy, but Fay could tell Bella just what to do. They loved our cat Scout. They thought she's the most beautiful cat that every lived, and George would always come over and take care of Scout when we'd go out of town.

This picture was from December 2010 when Fay and George came to my party when I graduated with my Master's Degree. George always loves to be the wise guy and to clown around. But Fay always kept George in line and made sure that he was ok.

  They would often tell us of when they met and married, and how Fay whipped George into shape and encouraged him to get higher learning and to become a teacher. They were both teachers and would tell us about the kids they taught, and I could always feel how much Fay loved them and wanted to help them have a better future. It's hard to talk about Fay without talking about George too. They were married for 52 years. George said that they had a really good marriage "We had our wars sometimes, but whenever we would argue, Granny would always leave a little present outside my door as a peace offering. So then I thought, 'well maybe I should start another one!'" He said that  while rubbing his hands together :) What a kidder. Fay always took care of George and he really appreciates all she did for him. 

This is me and Fay with my little niece, Eva. Children loved Fay and warmed right up to her because they could feel that she loved them and wanted them to be happy.

Fay and George were blessed with one daughter, Tracey. She was their miracle child, and they were thankful for her. At a very young age, Fay was diagnosed with breast cancer, and had a mastectomy. She's a fighter, and she survived. She's one of the spunkiest ladies I've ever met, but she was also one of the most loving, especially about her family. She would talk about how much she loved her mother and missed her. And I never had a day that I saw Fay that she didn't tell me all about her daughter Tracey and her grandkids, Justin and Chandler. She was always so proud of them and concerned for their welfare. She would often show us pictures of them. George always called Fay, "Granny," he still does because her most cherished role was as a mother and grandmother. She had a mother's heart.  

Fay really knew how to have a good time, and she sure loved George.

Fay loved Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She was very active in her church and prayed often and searched the scriptures. Most importantly, she lived her faith. She was always giving so generously of anything she had, her means, her time, and her love. She was often going to visit a sick friend, feeding the homeless, working on a charity project, bringing joy and friendship to the lonely. Fay and George always loved to talk about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and "the Mormons." Actually, when I called George the other day and said "Hi George, this is Emily Wagner," he said, "The Mormon?" Yes, that's me. I was grateful we got to share with Fay and George our love so that they would know that the myth that many people they know believe, that 'Mormons hate black people,' is not true. I often talked with Fay about my brother, Trey, and sister, Ashley, who are black, and how much I love them and are concerned for them. Fay cared so much about their welfare.

Fay and George watched General Conference with us often and came to church with us sometimes. Once Fay came to Relief Society with me, which is our women's organization, and she shared her testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. Our Relief Society President later told me, "Your friend Fay is a really classy lady. She is inspiring." I agree. Fay was a seeker of truth. She and George met many times with the missionaries and read some of The Book of Mormon. I appreciated that they felt comfortable asking us questions about our life, beliefs and faith and sharing theirs with us. We had many wonderful conversations about God and how He loves His children. Fay and George rejoiced in our common beliefs and what we had in common.  Fay and George really respected us for our faith and praised us for living what we believe. They helped me want to be as good as they thought we were and to live up to their expectations and admiration for us.

My camera battery died, so I had to use my camera on my phone which didn't do as well, but this is Seth , John and George this past Sunday.

We got to visit George in his new home yesterday. It was a pleasure to talk with him, and he was overjoyed to meet baby John (and very concerned that Bella was going to jump on him - I was a bit concerned too, she was really excited). I wished so much that Fay could be there to meet John. She was at my baby shower just a few months ago full of anticipation for the birth of our son. But I felt that perhaps she was looking down on us and watching over her George, and her friends, the Wagner's.

George still talks about Fay because he loves her so. He said, "I really had a beautiful wife." He was right. Fay wasn't just beautiful on the outside but on the inside. I saw Fay was just a short time before John was born. I got to take her to her eye doctor's appointment and we got to spend the whole afternoon together and she was just so excited for our son to come and was making all sorts of plans about spoiling him. She called me 'Baby' like she always did. She was another grandmother to me. I didn't know it would be the last time in this life that I would see my friend.

But I know that it won't be the last time I will see Fay because I know that the Lord loves all His children, and I believe in God's Plan of Happiness. I know that through Jesus Christ, we will all live again, and that we  have the choice to receive eternal joy and live with God and our families again.

Thank you, Fay, for your beautiful life and example to us. Thank you for your friendship and love and faith. We'll take care of George for you. And we'll always remember the great times we had together. God bless you for all the good that you have done. We know you are just continuing on the next part of your journey, and we look forward to seeing you again someday. We love you, Fay.