Barbara E. Thompson Williams

Barbara Elaine Thompson Williams, 81 of Susquehanna Township, passed peacefully on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 in Arden Courts Memory Care of Susquehanna.  Barbara was born on July 7, 1933 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania to the late William Henry Thompson Jr. and Catherine Elizabeth Robinson Thompson. At an early age her parents moved from Huntingdon to Harrisburg, where she attended the Harrisburg School System, graduating from John Harris High School.  Barbara also attended Howard University where she was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.  She graduated from Howard, magna cum laude, in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and was qualified to teach Junior and High School English.  Unfortunately at that time finding employment at that level for African Americans was difficult at best. Barbara did find employment at various organizations including; the YWCA of Harrisburg, Denver Colorado and Philadelphia, Gratz Senior High School, Nicetown Boys and Girls Club and the Poverty Program of Harrisburg. She was later employed as an Administrative Assistant with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and retired as Vice-President of its Regional Special Programs Division which included offices in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie, Carlisle, Penn State, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton in 1999. Barbara was a member of Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church; serving as a Deaconess, in the Music Ministry as a Choir Director and Church Pianist, , Drama Ministry, Vacation Bible School Teacher, and Pianist for the Senior Citizens Ministry Meetings.  She was also a member of Delta Sigma Theta. Barbara was loved by many and leaves to celebrate her life her sister Leah Spain of Harrisburg, nephew Ronald K. Spain, a host of relatives and friends and her church congregation.