Julia Floyd Williams

WAYNESVILLE -On January 8, 2025, Julia Floyd Williams 84 passed away in her home in Waynesville, NC. At her passing, Julia went to her heavenly home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Julia was born on April 8, 1940 to the late William Edward Floyd and Ellen Harris Floyd of Henderson. At the age of two and a half, after the sudden passing of her mother, Julia was taken in and raised by her aunt and uncle, the late Kenneth and Pauline Hawkins of Henderson. Julia was a very athletic person and loved the outdoors. She took every opportunity she could to spend time outdoors, whether it was working on the family farms, out on the pond fishing, practicing on the basketball/tennis courts, playing golf or doing yard work. At an early age, Julia excelled in sports, particularly in basketball and tennis. Her talent was put on display in high school and college as her school teams excelled. Julia graduated from High Point College with a BS in Physical Education and from UNC-Greensboro with an MA in Education. Julia was a talented educator, writer, counselor and coach. After graduation, Julia taught and coached for a number of years in the NC public school system. When Julia was a teenager, she accepted Christ as her Savior and Lord. She fully committed herself to Him, totally without reservation, when she attended the first World Missions Congress at Wheaton College in 1966. At that time, she realized that Christ was nailed to the cross in her place and that her sins nailed him there. In her spiritual autobiography, she indicates that Issac Watts said it best in the words of the hymn, “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross”, written in the front of her Bible: ‘When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died…… Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, My life My all!!’ Julia tried to follow the Lord’s leading every day. She showed his love to those around her through both her words and actions. When she saw someone in need, she followed the Lord’s leading and reached out to them. Her primary focus was to share the gospel and Christ’s love with those around her. Her greatest desire was that her family and friends would recognize the sacrifice Christ willingly made to pay for their sins, and that they too would confess their sins and accept him as their Lord and Savior. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 On July 20, 1973, Julia married the love of her life, Roy Godwin Williams. Roy and Julia enjoyed 51 wonderful years together. Her husband Roy worked for Dean Witter Reynolds and Merrill Lynch stock brokerage firms. As he quickly moved up the corporate ladder, Julia retired early from teaching to support him in his career. They moved to various locations in the South (Raleigh, NC, Tallahassee, Fl, Nashville, TN) as he was tapped to manage brokerage offices in those areas. Julia also volunteered with several ministries close to her heart. These included ministries who counseled women with unexpected pregnancies from a biblical perspective, and those that supported individuals dealing with declining memory issues. She also lead bible studies in her home continuing to share God’s Word. When her husband retired, they moved to the NC mountains and built their dream home. They lived there for over 20 years, enjoying time with family, friends and their two fur babies, Sonny and Shadow. In addition to her mother and father, and her Aunt Pauline and Uncle Kenneth, Julia was preceded in death by her twin sister (Jane Floyd Thaxton of Wilson and her husband Bob), her brothers (William Edward Floyd Jr. and Hillman Floyd of Henderson) , her brother-in-law (Rodney Williams of Myrtle Beach, SC), her cousin (Marina Nowell of Winston Salem) and her niece (Ellen Hardy of Oxford). Julia, was briefly survived by her husband, Roy Godwin Williams. A week after her death, however, he passed away and joined her in their heavenly home. She is also survived by her cousin Kathryn Hawkins Edwards of Danville, VA, her sister-in-law Francis Floyd of Henderson, along with several nieces and nephews and their families. A joint memorial service for Julia and Roy will take place at 1:00pm on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at: Plank Chapel 3047 Bobbitt Road Kittrell, NC, 27544 officiated by Rev. Edgar De Jesus. Visitation with the family will take place after the service in the fellowship hall at the church. For those who are unable to attend, the service will be live streamed on the Plank Chapel Facebook page. The service will also be recorded and placed here. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Samaritan’s Purse, or Turning Point, a ministry of Dr. David Jeremiah. These are ministries that Julia and Roy supported.