Obituary of Maxie Williams

After a short illness, Maxie Williams departed this earthly life on Friday, March 16, 2018 in the 6am hour.

Maxie Williams, Sr., affectionately called Mack, by his wife and Max by others, was born on March 2, 1933 to Mary Webb-Jackson and Richard Rawls in Ailey, GA.  Maxie was reared in the Georgia school system and graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1951.  Shortly after graduating from high school Maxie migrated to Brooklyn, NY and in 1953, he joined the United States Army.  While in the Army, Maxie was well decorated and earned the National Defense Service Medal as well as the Good Conduct Medal.  After losing two brothers in the military, Maxie was issued an honorable discharge in 1955.

Maxie met the love of his life, Channie Smith, while visiting family in 1955.  In the summer of 1957, Maxie and Channie were joined together in holy matrimony.  From this union six children were born.

Maxie joined the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1963 as a Bus Operator. For thirty years, always with a smile on his face, up and down his B41 and B46 routes, he was loved by all he came across.  All of his children, and some of his grandchildren, rode the bus with him at some point or another.  He would let you ride for some time then he would rip off a block ticket and tell you to catch the next bus home.  He enjoyed his time with Transit and was very active with the Flatbush Alumni Society, where he served as the Treasurer.  Maxie also played for many years on the Transit softball team. At the ripe young age of 60, Maxie retired.

Maxie was a man of many hobbies and enjoyed life to the fullest.  A family man, Friday nights were deemed game night.  There, you could find Maxie hanging with the kids teaching them to play SkipBo and eating fish, cabbage and Maxie’s special Kool-Aid. He also loved a good game of Dominoes and shooting pool.

Always taking pride in the way he looked, Maxie was a sharp dresser and was known for throwing on a suit and hat.  He loved to iron and could be seen standing for hours pressing his clothes so he’d look his best.  He believed that a well-pressed outfit means you cared about the details, details make a difference...details get you noticed.  This trait has been passed down to his children and grandchildren as well.

Maxie was a God-fearing man and developed a relationship with the Lord early in his life. He desired for his children to know the Lord and would visit Cornerstone Baptist Church with his young family.  A longtime member of the New York City Housing Authority, moving from Sumner Houses to the Tompkins Houses, Maxie encouraged his family to attend The Cathedral of the Greater Free Gift Baptist Church, Inc.  

Best known for driving Cadillacs, Maxie enjoyed keeping it detailed.  In his pastime, you could find him at any Johnny pump cleaning off the car, getting it ready to hit the road.  Those road trips to Pennsylvania and Georgia were memorable.  Maxie believed that family should know one another and traveling from Brooklyn to Vidalia was a whole production. There are many memories of driving down south listening to Al Green and Tyrone Davis where he would throw one of the kids behind the wheel to hone their driving skills.

A life well lived, Maxie was preceded in death by two sons, Maxie Jr and Larry as well as two brothers, Shade T. Webb and Alfred Parker.

Maxie leaves to cherish his memory his wife of sixty one years, Channie Williams, his children: Felecia Nalley (Joseph), Christopher, Sharon, & Ramona, seven grandchildren: Tamel, Taron (Andrea), Jessica, Vanessa, Kareem, Jerome and Fatima and four great-grandchildren: Joseph, Ethan, Emersyn and Eden.  He also leaves two sisters, Virginia McKissick of Dublin, Georgia and Rena Smith of Miami, Florida, one sister-in-law, Helen Turner of Brooklyn, New York and an adopted daughter, Jackie Ballard, as well as a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Maxie will be greatly missed. May his spirit live on through his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Sorrowfully Submitted,

The Family