Obituary of Elder. Wilbert Joseph Williams

Wilbert Joseph Williams, was born February l3, 1943, in Lake Charles, Louisiana to Henry Joseph Williams and Enola Bellard. Wilbert "Bull" (as friends would call him) spent his childhood and adolescent years learning hard work and determination. As a young child he was a "hustler' making money, working the farms and taking the rice and barley which fell from passing train cars to the mill for family meals. Wilbert would take home scraps of meat from the local A & P or Piggly Wiggly stores as well. While working the farms, Wilbert would tease a big hog named Hoss. One day Wilbert climbed into the pig pen to turn over the pigs trough. In the process old Hoss got out of the mud and pinned Wilbert against the fence. Growing up a "military brat", Wilbert attended the Airport Elementary School at Chenault Air Force Base and First Ward Junior High School and Washington High School in the Lake Charles, LA area. During his school years, geography, band and science were some of his favorites. He loved going to school. Raised by his grandmother, Estella, forthe most part, Wilbert always listened to her sing spiritual songs and talk about the "Good Book". She believed the old saying that "an idle mind is the devil's workshop", and hard work was a cure for that. He was baptized at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Lake Charles when he was five or six years old. He attended Sunday School and church services at the local Baptist and Catholic churches.In 1967, he was drafted into the US Army. After boot camp at Fort Pork, LA and Fort Belvoir, VA, he was deployed to Saigon, South Vietnam. After his tour of duty in Vietnam, he went home to Lake Charles before being stationed at Fort Carson Army Base in Colorado Springs, CO. To avoid any hassles on base, he went up Interstate 25 to Denver where he met the love of his life, lzetta Mae Ellis. They were joined in holy matrimony at the home of the late Rev. Wendell T. Liggins, then Pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Denver. Soon afterwards Wilbert gave his life to Christ at House of Joy Miracle Deliverance Church, pastored by the late Apostle Ruben Beechum. Family life was his real joy, and as he worked and studied, he and his loving wife, "Zet", (as he affectionately called her) adopted two children (James and Nona) to add to the two she had when they married (Kimberly and Yvonne) and then came Nateria and Nathaniel and later many "spiritual' godsons and goddaughters. Always a hard worker and desiring to make a better living for his family, Wilbert returned to school at the Community College of Denver where he earned an associate's degree in data processing.He worked for 27 years at the Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy) while continuing his education at Metro State College of Denver and working a second job at IBM for 6 years. At Metro State, he earned his bachelor's degree in computer management science.An avid traveler, Wilbert was blessed to take the journey of a lifetime to the Holy Land in Israel in 2006. He also loved fishing, photography, computers and technology. In his later years, Wilbert returnedto school once more, earning a doctorate (PhD) in Urban Ministries in 2011 at the Aspen Christian College and Seminary, mentored by the late Elder Dr. Ambrose Milton Columbus, Jr. Wilbert served many years as a faithful servant and leader at the All Nations Church of God in Christ,pastored by Bishop Phillip H. Porter, Jr., where he became an ordained minister, Sunday School Superintendent, and mentor to young men and older men alike. The "gentle giant", Elder Dr. Wilbert Joseph Williams, left this earthly journey on August 27, 2015. His parents, Henry and Enola Williams, daughter Kimberly Jean Ellis, and sister, Mattie Messer, proceeded him in death. Along with his wife of 49 years, lzetta Mae Ellis Williams, he leaves to cherish his memory his children, Yvonne Rene Ellis, of Midwest City, Oklahoma Nateria Denise Williams, Nona Lynette Williams, James Matthew Williams (Mary), Nathaniel Joseph Isaac Williams (Brittany), all of Denver, CO; brother, Michael Seals, of Houston, TX; sisters, Beulah Mallet of Beaumont,TX, Sandra Cabellero of Baytown, TX, Yolonda Kelly, of Conroe, TX, and Josie Mallet, of Houston, TX; nine grandchildren, ten greatgrandchildren and a host of"spiritual children",