Luz Maria Villafane Williams of Tampa, Florida, died on Sunday, Oct. 3. She was born on St. Croix, U.S.V.I., moved to St. Thomas, V.I. and eventually to Tampa, Fla. She was 74 years old. She was a very devout Roman Catholic and a 3rd Order Franciscan.
Survivors include her husband, Clyde Williams Sr.; sister, Carmen Diana Mendez of St. Thomas; son, Clyde Williams Jr, of Tampa, Fla.; and daughters: Joan Norwood of Thomson, Ga., Barbara Gray, and Bernadette “Bernie” Williams of Tampa, Fla.
She is also survived by in-laws: Joanie Williams, Jerome Gray of Tampa, Fla., Edward “Ray” Norwood of Thomson, Ga., Johnny “Eugene” Johnson of Columbia, S.C. and Mitchell Samuel of St. John; nieces and nephews: Alma Villafane of Luquillo, Puerto Rico, Ana Villafane of Chicago, Ill., Lisa (Mendez) Samuel of St. John, Edwin and Palmira “Polly” Mendez of Tampa, Fla., Miguel Angel Mendez of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Alvin Mendez, Raphael Mendez and William Mendez of St. Thomas
Other survivors include grandchildren: Crystal Marie Johnson, Stephen Gagliani of Columbia, S.C., Anthony Gagliani of Thomson, Ga., Jeffery Gagliani of Augusta, Ga., Nikeya, Candice “Marie” Williams, Johnathan Gray, Justin Gray, Dave Phillips III, Andres St. Kitts, Solange St. Kitts, Emmanuel Mendez, Rainbeaux Mendez of Tampa, Fla., Kareem Mendez of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Natasha Benjamin, Michael Benjamin, Olivettie Samuel, Andrette Samuel of St. John; great-grandchildren: Sonja Marie Gagliani of Tompson, Ga., Taylor Johnson and Blake Johnson of Columbia, S.C.; beloved friends: Bishop Elliott Thomas, Lynette Trinder, Pat Sobel, Gloria Ignacio, Claire Foster, Alicia Fellner, Sister Pat Alexander and many others.
Visitation will take place from 10:30 -11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9, with a funeral mass at 11:30 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, 12708 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618. Interment will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens, Tampa, Fla. Condolences may be offered at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, Fla. 33614. Phone: (813) 931-1833.