Mary E. Stokes

MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS STOKES was born on December 17, 1932 in Camden, NC to Janie Newby and Laffayette Williams. She transitioned peacefully from this life on August 19, 2026 surrounded by her family. Mary's radiant spirit and enduring love for life and family will always be remembered and cherished by those who knew her and loved her.

As a child, Mary received her elementary education from Rosenwald School, in South Mills, NC. She would later attend Marian Anderson School, Camden, NC, when she was not required to stay home and help her father (a sharecropper). Mary was known for her athletic skills; especially basketball. After graduation, Mary relocated from North Carolina to Delaware in search of better opportunities. Those that had traveled before her in this journey reached back and helped the newcomers. Mary was grateful and paid the kindness forward.

Mary was a hard worker and a provider. While she secured employment at various chicken processing plant, Bayshore, Swift and Burris, she earned her extra monies doing seasonal work in the fields and housekeeping. She was later elevated and gained employment at General Foods (Kraft/Heinz). Mary was dedicated, took on the extra shifts and would become a machine operator. She remained with General Foods until she retired. No stranger to work, Mary had various jobs along with her full time positions. In her younger days, Mary took in ironing on weekends, as well as at Silco a five and dime store to help make end meets. She also worked a short time at a local daycare center as a cook. Just to get out of the house she did some light, parttime housekeeping again.

When she wasn't working, Mary found great satisfaction and pleasure working in her yard and maintaining her home. Whether planting flowers, mowing the lawn, or plucking weeds, she seemed to be at peace with nature. She could go out in the yard early in the morning and still find something to do in the yard in the evening, and the next day too. Mary wasn't much on gardening herself but she allowed her brothers, Will and LaSalle, plant their gardens in her yard and the all shared the crops yielded.

Mary attended Welcome Full Gospel Holiness Church, Lincoln, DE under the leadership of the late Bishop Winford Gregory, Sr. She didn't like to be out in front of the people much but she was a laborer behind the scenes. When it came to raising money for the church building fund, Mary was focused and determined. She prided herself on getting local politicians to support her fundraising efforts. Mary was a furious, focused, and determined fundraiser ranging from a baby contest, homemade pie and dinner sales, the Delaware family days, political fundraisers, piano and dining hall fundraisers. Mary had the pies and dinners sold before they were even prepared. If you didn't want to purchase a pie or dinner, your donation was gladly accepted and appreciated.

Family was the cornerstone of Mary's life. She met William Stokes and two children were born to this union, Constance and William. They later salified the relationship in marriage. Before her health began to fail, you could count on Mary to ride to North Carolina for a family member's birthday celebration, wedding, family day at church or the Williams Family Reunions. Mary's home was always open to family and friends traveling through or coming for a visit. She enjoyed her company.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, William Stokes; parents, Laffayette and Janie Williams; brothers, Rudolph, LaSalle, Will and Russell Williams; sisters, Isabell Newby, Mocile Banks, Ethel Pettyjohn, Louise Hughes and Margaret McCoy.

She leaves to cherish her loving memory two sons, Charles Williams (Sharon) and William Williams, Sr. (Carolyn); one daughter, Constance Williams; one sister, Georgia Boone; grandchildren, William Williams, Jr. (Becky), Quierra Evers (Jesse), Aljne Williams (Krystal), AGem Phillips (Alfonso), Shawn Williams (Nina Kennedy) and Monique Williams; a godson, Charles Harmon; two sisters-in-law Ann Stokes Vaughn, Beatrice Stokes, 11 great-grandchildren, one godchild Charles Harmon and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.