Rev. Irvin Williams

Pastor Williams was born to Irvin Williams to Emma Williams on January 13, 1960, in Tuskegee, Alabama.

He was raised in Newbern, Alabama. He confessed Christ and was baptized in August 1971 at Green Leaf Baptist Church, Marion, Alabama. He completed his secondary education at Sunshine High School in 1978. Immediately following graduation, he joined the United States Coast Guard. After completion of basic training, he soon attended Electrical Engineering School. During his Coast Guard career, he traveled extensively in the United States and abroad.

He married the love of his life, Veretta Maxine Melton, on December 5, 1992. He was the loving father of Shardia and Anastasia.

In 1993, while stationed in Portsmouth, Virginia, he was a member of the Mt. Vernon Baptist. While at Mt. Vernon, he was called, trained, and ordained as a deacon. While serving at Mt. Vernon, he was instrumental in organizing the Men’s Council for Youth and Christian Development, and was active in the Music Ministry as a health and wellness instructor also serving with the City-Wide Mission. Through the Coast Guard, he worked with the Adopt-A-School Program.

He received a promotion to chief electrical engineer in the Coast Guard and was transferred to Alameda, California. He received his call to the ministry in November 1995 while a member of the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Oakland, California.

His first public sermon was delivered in July 1996 and was entitled “Let the Temple be Filled,” Isaiah 6:1-9. While at Mt. Calvary, he worked as Sunday School superintendent. He also served as an associate minister and was active in working with Lad’s Lunch (the food outreach ministry), participating in teaching Bible Study, Leadership Council, and Evangelism Ministry. In the community he, along with a fellow brother, organized and led a home Bible Study that met on a weekly basis. He continued his training in Christian Education through conferences, individual study, and study sessions with the pastor. He was licensed and ordained as a minister of the Gospel in June 1999.

In July of 1999, he retired from the Coast Guard after twenty-one years of service. He and his family returned to Alabama and joined Poplar Grove Baptist Church, Sprott, Alabama, where the pastor was Pastor Walter Melton. He served as an associate minister for Poplar Grove Baptist Church and as the assistant pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Marion, Alabama. He continued his Christian education at the Birmingham-Easonian Bible College and the Institute of Biblical Studies, Lynchburg, Virginia.

He answered the call to become the pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church and began pastoring July 7, 2002, and continued to pastor for over twenty years. He stayed busy working in the church and community, helping all to be more aware of God’s word and teaching them how to be about the work for the Kingdom of God. He actively served the community in multiple ways. He functioned as the Chilton County’s chapter of the NAACP president for several years, and worked with the New Life District for many years. He also served as one of the organizers of the Unity Fest of Jemison, Alabama, which continues to spread the gospel and help those in our community who have a need.

He was preceded in death by grandparents, David and Henrietta Williams and Sampson and Fannie Turner; mother, Emma; and stepfather, Henry Holifield.

Pastor Williams leaves to cherish his memories: his beloved wife, Veretta Maxine Melton-Williams; daughters, Anastasia Simone Williams and Shardia (James) Williams-Jones; grandsons, Zion Lee Randall and James Jones, Jr.; granddaughter, Jamiecia Jones; a special nephew, Calvin Sturdivant, Jr.; sister, Linda (Cedric) Stabler; brother, Henry Holifield, Jr.; sister- in-love, Dr. Sonya Melton (Lonzo) Ford; father, Robert (Victoria) Turner; sisters, Rolanda Crawley, Rhonda Love, and Carolyn Williams; brother, Ronald Turner; and a host of brothers and sisters in Christ, nieces, nephews, other family, and friends.

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