Elsie Webster Williams

June 25, 1916 - February 26, 2011

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Life Legacy

Elsie Webster Williams crossed over to join her loved ones on Saturday, Feb. 26. She was the daughter of Daniel Webster and Ida Waters Webster, born in Bath, N.C. on June 25, 1916. She was pre-deceased by her loving husband of 59 years, Elmo Williams, and her son, George O. Westcott, as well as siblings Ronald Webster, Myrtle Howard, Clara Owens, Frocine Smith, Wade Webster and Otis Webster. She is survived by a son, Elmo Wade Williams.
Elsie was the proud grandmother to nine grandchildren, Skip Westcott, Kevin Westcott, Wade Williams, John Williams, Daniel Williams and Elizabeth Ann (Williams) Wendt, Brian Elliott, and Kenneth Eddy. She had 18 great-grandchildren. Elsie also had left numerous nieces and nephews to mourn her passing.
Elsie’s work history was long, varied and noteworthy. She lived most of her childhood with foster families following the death of her mother when she was two. When not in school, she worked in the fields as a child. At age 13 she moved to Manteo, N.C. where her older sister, Ciara, provided her first real home. In 1939, she moved to Newport News and received training as a seamstress and interior decorator with Nachman’s Department Store, taking courses at night. During World War II, she owned and operated boarding houses in downtown Newport News. After the war she started her interior decorating business, Home Decorators, which she operated over 20 years. For retirement, Elsie and her husband, Elmo, moved to Manteo and operated Blackbeard’s Treasure Chest, a nautical themed gift and clothing store for 20 more years, working well into their 80’s.
Elsie was a resilient, hard-working woman whose favorite movie scene was from “Gone With The Wind” where Scarlett O’Hara raises her fist to the heavens after eating grass and declares, “As God is my witness I’ll never go hungry again.” Given her childhood, her sons and husband understood.
Throughout her life, Elsie maintained a great sense of humor, and her greatest joy was sharing time with a rather large family and numerous friends. When not working, she loved cooking and sharing her food with everyone, including the les fortunate. This wonderful mother, wife, and friend will be missed by many.
Her family expresses deep appreciation to the staff at The Inn at Seneca, Oconee Hospice Care, her in-home caregivers, Pat Poplin, Mickey Gibbs Parker, Beth Barb, the Dare County Social Services and the Owens and Shannon Families of Dare County for all their care and love over the years.
Funeral Services will be conducted, Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 2:00 pm at Manteo Baptist Church with Rev. Ken Simpson, with burial to follow in Manteo Cemetery. The Family will receive friends from 1:00 to 2:00 pm prior to the service at the church. Brown-Oglesby Funeral Home of Seneca, S.C. is serving the Family.