Ethel (Kirkland) Williams

Hinesville

Ms. Ethel Kirkland Williams of Hinesville, GA passed away of cancer at the age of 61 on Thursday, August 20, 2015 at Wayne Memorial Medical Center. Ethel Kirkland Williams was born in Buffalo, New York to the late Haywood Kirkland and Lucille Smith on May 24, 1954. She was one of seven siblings. At the age of 17, Ethel Williams joined the US Army, where she proudly served a total of 23 years, 3 months, and 26 days of active duty service. During her military career, Ethel served during the Vietnam Era and in Desert Shield Desert Storm. She also did overseas tours in Europe and Korea. She worked in multiple fields including the Army Crime Lab as a narcotic specialist, and in Chemical operations. She retired from military service on March 31, 1998. She received some of the following awards: 2 National Defense Service Medals, Meritorious Service Medial, 5 Army Commendation Medals, 5 Army Achievement Medals, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal along with multiple others.

After retiring from the military, Ethel went on to acquire a Bachelors of Science from Brewton Parker College in 2000 and Masters of Science in Education with a focus on Integrating Technology in the classroom from Walden University in 2004. She started her career as a teacher with the Liberty County Board School System in August 2000. She started with volunteering in the classroom while she was a student in Brewton Parker at Button Gwinnett Elementary School. She then progressed to student teacher, and then full time educator at the same school. She became a teacher “ to influence the student’s enjoyment of the learning process and to assist in opening the world of information available to students through the use of technology.” She enjoyed teaching children in the positions of 4th and 5th grade teacher, and computer lab teacher. She retired from the Liberty County School System in June 2015. Ethel was very involved in church and school. She was known to go above and beyond to help her students both in and out of school. She loved teaching math, traveling, and spending time with family and friends, and helping whoever she could in any way possible. She touched the lives of many people, and will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her daughters, Regina Elayne Williams and Loretta Rena Williams.

There will be a memorial service held in her honor on Saturday August 29th At 10:00 am at South Main Baptist Church located at 116 South Main St., Hinesville GA with a repast to follow.

Low Country Cremation Services and Burial is serving the Williams family.