Grace Oju-Miri Williams

Grace Levinia Oju-Miri Williams was born to Mr. Abraham David Olufemi Sawyer and Mrs. Lydia Sawyer both of blessed memory on September 7th, 1943, in Freetown Sierra-Leone. She was the second of four children.

Miss Oju, as she was fondly called, lived her youthful life in Waterloo, Benguema in the Western part of Sierra Leone and at Malta Street in Freetown. She and her siblings grew up in a strict home, very disciplined. She was a very ambitious young lady who desired to move up to achieve great things in life. Unfortunately, her Dear Father passed away suddenly in 1958, then her Mother in 1960. She was forced at a young age to help her older sister, Mama Fumi (RIP) to take care of her younger siblings. The death of her parents halted her dreams for a while but did not stop her from completing her education. After completing Secondary school in Waterloo, Miss Oju decided to join the Sierra-Leone Royal Police Force in 1960. She met and married her late husband Mr. Cyril Ajayie Benjamin Williams in 1972.

Miss Oju brought joy to all who met her during the course of her journey here on earth. She was caring, charming, jovial, and loving. She was a fun-loving woman, as her children she always made us laugh with her stories and jokes. Her kindness drew lots of people to her. One of her favorite jokes if someone cooked for her was "God bless the eater and damn the cook." She would say in Creo, never a dull moment with her.

After touring different Provinces in Sierra Leone, Kono, Bo, Kenema, Pujehun Port Loko then back to Kono, she retired after 17 years in 1977. She moved to Freetown and settled in Kissy, Bo Pass Road, (Shell Company), she moved to the house she and Mr. Williams had built. For Miss Oju, being a housewife was not her style. She soon got tired of staying home and got a job at the Port Authority, working security. Her experience as a police Sargent helped her to perform her job with excellence.

Sadly, the civil war moved her from her beloved county to Guinea, then to Ghana where she lived for 8 years before finally making her way to the United States in 2001. Once again, she got herself into the security job field, she worked at the Smithsonian, then with Admiral Security. Once more she became the main provider for her sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces in Sierra Leone. She took that role seriously, she would say, God bring me ya for help dem."

Miss Oju though being kindhearted, was very stubborn. She did not agree to do anything she did not want to do. She was her own woman, very confident in herself and her abilities. 5 years ago, in 2017 she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and was told she had about 3 years to live. She told us that the doctors just wanted her money, so she was not going to take the medication despite her children's plea, she refused to take the meds. Eventually she gave in when her children told her she was on her own if she did not follow the doctors' instructions. She started taking Chemotherapy amid boat loads of complaints, she got progressively worse as the years went by. She would cry and say she was sad because her family back home will suffer without her support.

3 months ago, her children went to see her at the rehabilitation center, because she had broken her left femur. All she preached that day was peace for everyone. "When I come home, all will be well," she said. She never made it home, around the 2nd of February 2022 she was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support. She passed away peacefully on the 15th of February 2022 at 6:30pm.

You left many children Cyril G. K. Amedofu (Sherry), Cyrilia E. Williams (Johnny), Grace J. Paeley (Patrick), Davida S. Williams (Peter), Ishmael H. A. Williams (Ruth), Hannah Morenike Williams, Theodora Eberonke Williams, and Mr. Ayodele Williams. Your dearly loved grandchildren Osman Bangura, Frances Koromah, Cyril Francis Fartomah, Princess Hastings Coker (RIP), Elizabeth Hastings Coker, Lydia Deng, David Kawan, Grace Kawan, Marc Nduli-Williams, Cyrilia Catherine Williams, Gerald David Williams, Elizabeth Hannah Williams, Grace Ojumiri Williams, Daniel Jackson II, Joshua Isaiah Jackson, Wilfred Robert, Alex Fortune, Blessing Wilson, Albertus Jackson. Your great-grandchildren Albertina Jackson, Emma Robert, Liyah R. Bangura, Liana H. Bangura, Elijah Patrick Samuel Rushton, Aaliyah Ojumari Rushton, Ramere Jackson, and Elijah Jackon, everybody was your child. We will forever cherish your memories and the love you had for us. Mommy, Miss Oju, Mama Grace, Mama Willie, Mrs. Williams, go rest. You don don you wok na ya. God want you now near Him.

Grace Oju-Miri Williams services will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click here. to view the service.