The father of City Council Member Jumaane Williams, Dr. Gregory Alistair Williams, recently passed away. He is best remembered as a celebrated medical doctor, sportsman, church pastor and Bible scholar. He was 72.
Funeral services were held at Abundant Life International Cathedral in Jacksonville, N.C.
Born in Grenada, Williams came to the United States in 1967, settling in Washington, D.C., to begin his dream of practicing medicine. He worked his way through school by waiting tables and driving taxi cabs. He graduated cum laude from his undergraduate studies at Howard University and earned his degree from Howard University’s College of Medicine.
Remembered by his nickname, “Social,” from his younger days, Williams was an avid fan of track and field, soccer and basketball, namely the Los Angeles Lakers. He once held his native country’s record in the high jump.
Williams was also part of two elite Grenadian sports clubs. He played for Dauntless in the parish of St. George’s and the Rovers in the parish of St. Andrew’s. He represented Grenada on numerous occasions as a member of its national soccer team.
Williams completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Harlem Hospital through Columbia University. During his tenure, he served as chief resident from July 1978 through June 1979.
He practiced medicine in Brooklyn until August 1985; he then moved to North Carolina. Williams practiced in the cities of New Bern, Camp Lejeune and Jacksonville. In December 1984, he became a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in March 1995. Williams retired from his practice in August 2012.
In 1990, Williams was licensed to preach and was ordained in 1993. In 1995, Williams continued his education by obtaining a doctorate in ministry from Family Bible Institute College and Seminary in Baltimore, Md. Later, he established and became dean of two Bible colleges in Jacksonville, specifically Family Bible Institute College and Seminary Extension School at Bethel Word Ministries and Abundant Life Institutes of Christian Education at Abundant Life Baptist Church.
Williams is survived by his wife, Phyllis; his children, Aaron, Christopher, Jeanine, Jumaane, Matthew and Richard; his grandchildren, Aaliyah, Courtnay, Fabrice and Jade; his siblings, Albert, Cyprian, Evelyn, Lawrence, Judith and Marina; and many other relatives and close friends.
