Virginia Pharr Williams

A graveside service for Virginia P. Williams, 91, will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church Cemetery, Columbia Rd. 26 in Emerson, Arkansas. Officiating the service will be Pastor Charles Payne, pastor of Pisgah United Methodist Church in Emerson and Deacon Mike Asher of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Shreveport.

Virginia was born on June 29, 1933, in Emerson, Arkansas to William Edward Pharr and Ive Lee Pharr and passed away on Friday, October 11, 2024, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Virginia was a resident of Shreveport.

She was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. She graduated from Emerson, Arkansas High School in 1951 and married her husband, Charles Gene Williams, that same year. She was the Basketball Queen of the Emerson College Pirates under Coach Horace Broom. She was a member of the 4-H Club, Glee Club, basketball queen, was in the senior play, and President of the FHA and President of the American Women’s Business Association in 1973. Virginia worked at Martin Chevrolet in Carthage, Texas in 1965. She worked on the family farm during school all while taking courses in business. She worked as a bookkeeper for State Representative Dayton Waller and Dr. Sartor. She was a real estate agent and did notary work as well as being a Reserve Deputy for the Caddo Sheriff Department. Her hobbies included square dancing, gardening, and watching football and basketball on TV. She loved her family and friends and helped many of her neighbors. She was a strong-minded person that loved her house and yard and taking care of stray cats and birds.

Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Ive Pharr; ex-husband, Charles Gene Williams; brothers, Johnny Oliver (Dick), James Edward Pharr (Pettle), niece, Natalie Burcham; nephew, Allen W. Pharr; grandmother, Ethyl Rogers and grandfather, Pappa Rogers. Left to cherish her memory is her son, Michael Gene Williams; grandson, Michael Ryan Williams and wife, Dr. Chelsea Williams of Delia, KS; granddaughter, Robin Mitchell Williams; great-grandson, Bryxton Williams; great-granddaughter, Quinlyn Williams, Virginia Sister, Bonnie Pharr; sisters-in-law, Sherry Pharr, Chris Pharr; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express special thanks to neighbors, Richard Davison, James and Mary Botis and Mark Stevenson and Debbie, church friends, and sister Bonnie Pharr that helped every day I could not be there. It was so appreciated!

In lieu of flowers, donations in Virginia’s name may be made to Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 253, Emerson, Arkansas 71740. Flowers can be sent if preferred.

Virginia will be greatly missed but the family will forever love and honor her memory.