Mary Jane Williams Sheffield, 93

WARSAW — Mrs. Mary Jane Williams Sheffield, 93, passed away on Jan. 31, 2013 peacefully at Parrish’s Nursing Home surrounded by her loving family.

A memorial service, followed by visitation, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Warsaw Presbyterian Church.

She was the youngest child of John Blaney Williams and Effie Britt Williams of Sampson County. She is preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Cleveland (Bill) Sheffield, Jr.; her brothers, Robert Edward Williams, Hooper Luther Williams, John Blaney Williams, Jr., Albert Garland Williams, Marshal Cox Williams and Charles Blaney Williams; and sister Sallie Williams Lucas.

Jane was a wonderful teacher, and a true believer and shepherd who was totally devoted to her family and church. She was also a member and officer of the Women of the Church organization, a Ruling Elder, and the go-to person for anything that needed to be done whether it be family matters or those matters involving her church. Jane was an avid golfer and saltwater fisherman. A member of the Warsaw Garden Club, she had a passion for flowers and for decades her arrangements adorned countless weddings, funerals and table centerpieces in the community.

Jane and Bill were longtime members of Warsaw Presbyterian Church in Warsaw where they raised their family. Jane was educated at East Carolina Teacher’s College (now ECU) and taught in the Duplin County Schools system prior to retirement. During World War II she worked for the American Red Cross in Charleston, S.C.

After the war she married Bill, owner of Warsaw Drug Company and had two children, Bernard Cleveland Sheffield III (June Skipper) and Patsy Jane Sheffield Ludlum (John Garrett Ludlum) who survive her. She is also survived by her granddaughters, Sarah Sheffield of Hilo, Hawaii, and Amy Sheffield of Kona, Hawaii; her grandsons, John Garrett Ludlum II (Jill Paddock) of Sneads Ferry, N.C., and Hayes Sheffield Ludlum (Emily Hall) of Warsaw, N.C.; and great-grandchildren, Miller Roth Ludlum, Carolyn Leona Ludlum and Marin Chunfat.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Warsaw Presbyterian Church, c/o Women’s Flower Fund or Building Fund, P.O. Box 863, Warsaw, N.C. 28398.