Olivia Maxine Williams

Olivia Williams Obituary Olivia Maxine Flanagan Williams entered this world on January 10, 1938 in Zanesville, Ohio. She was raised by a village in Cleveland, Ohio that included her mother, Hester, father, Richard, her Godparents Ethel and Grady Dickson, her aunts Amanda Fowlkes (Auntie) and Isabelle Dean. She had three older brothers: William Thomas Adams, Robert Louis Adams and Reuben Marcus Flanagan. Her early years were spent on 63rd and Quincy and 105th and Somerset. She attended her neighborhood schools: John Burroughs Elementary and Central Junior High before deciding to use Auntie's address and take a few buses to attend John Adams High School, where she was a member of Future Teachers of America. After graduating in January 1955, Olivia began attending Ohio State University where she was a Home Economics major. She was involved in the Mershon Usher Corps and the Sundial Humor Magazine. It was during her time at Ohio State that she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Her 1957 initiation into Theta Chapter was the beginning of a lifelong path of service that included serving as the president of the chapter. After graduating, she joined Alpha Omega Chapter in Cleveland where she was the recording secretary, chair of the chapter's ball, a conference delegate and committee chair. At the time of her death, Olivia was a Pearl Soror- having been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha for over 65 years. While earning money for college, Olivia met Lonnie Williams, Jr. whom she later married. While the marriage ended in divorce, they remained supportive of one another. Olivia served her community in numerous ways beginning as a teacher. She started her career working with nursery school students as a head teacher at Flora Mather Day Nursery. She later earned a Master's degree at Cleveland State and taught at Rawlings Junior High School; she then spent the remainder of her career at Collinwood High School, serving for a time as department chair. At Collinwood, she was not only a teacher, but supervised the student ushers and led the Sunshine Committee, an organization that celebrated and supported staff members. In addition to teaching and Alpha Kappa Alpha, Olivia was a life long member of St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church- the same church where her mother was a Sunday school teacher and her grandfather was a minister. Olivia also taught Sunday School as well as Vacation Bible School. She led the Girl Scouts, served on the Usher Board and chaired Women's Day. By far her longest involvement at St. Paul was as treasurer of the church credit union. This role was perfect for her as she was very deliberate about personal finances. She also volunteered as a merit badge counselor with Boy Scout Troop 257. She served as an usher at the Karamu House, was the president of Eliza Bryant Village Auxiliary 1, and the president of the Cleveland Section of the National Council of Negro Women. Olivia also loved to shop and travel. Before her health declined, she traveled across the US, Canada and the Caribbean and visited every continent except Asia and Antarctica. Her shopping excursions ranged from Rosa's Discount Store and thrift stores to shopping trips to Toronto, Canada, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Most importantly, Olivia raised two children who she showered with love and support. Both Aziz (Lonnie) and Leslie were raised to be thoughtful, to value learning, and to humbly serve others. Whether it was sending Aziz to New Mexico for a Boy Scout trip, or planning a wedding in one week or sending Leslie to summer camp every summer at Hathaway Brown/Broad Horizons, and driving her to Howard University every year, Olivia was a dedicated mother. For Aziz's children she purchased gifts that she pretended were for Islamic holidays while Leslie's children always looked forward to her visits in June and December. Olivia peacefully returned to her Heavenly home on June 2, 2023. Her beautiful smile, her ability to remain poised at all times, even while putting someone in their place, and her unfailing willingness to give to others will be missed by many, notably her children: Aziz Abdul-Zahir (Imani), Leslie Jones (Michael), her grandchildren lmtiyaaz Jamaal, Tahiyya (Ibrahim Ahmad), Salhah Jamaal, Naziyrah, Yaqiyn, Sunni (Mohamed Sannoh), Mubiyn Jamaal, Maahiy (Aamirah), Mujaab (Yasmine), Abiyya, Wajiyh, Haatim, Coleman, Grayson, Lani, Muslih and his mother, Haadiyah Rahmaan, 13 great-grandchildren, friend Cynthia Farmer, Goddaughter JaiCynthia Farmer, sister-in-law Rita L. Haynes, many nieces and nephews. Memorial gifts can be made to the Karamu House (2355 E 89th St, Cleveland, OH 44106) and/or Alpha Omega Foundation of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (P. 0. Box 93748 Cleveland, OH 44101 ). To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Olivia Maxine Williams, please visit our floral store. Read More

Olivia Maxine Williams

January 10, 1938 - June 2, 2023