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YourHub.com \\ Fort Pierce \\ Stories \\ Family & Friends \\ General Family & Friends

John "Johnny" Williams

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Contributed by: Anita Williams on 3/14/2006

John "Johnny" Edwards Williams passed away on December 5, 2005 at Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce, Florida. He spent 30 years in the public school system in Leon and Dade County. He retired a few months before his death.

Mr. Williams loved math. He tried to instill his thousands of students he taught in Leon and Dade Public Schools as a math teacher.

On Wednesday, February 22, 2006 at Palmetto Senior High School where Mr. Williams spent most of his teaching career, the staff held a special service in his memory and announce the initation of two scholarships that will carry his name. The scholarships were awarded to two students who will attend Florida A&M University.

The service was attended by relatives, coworkers, friends and former students in the school's auditorium at Palmetto High School.

He received numerous awards and participated in numerous organiztions in Dade County Public School System: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics, president; Dade County Teachers of Mathematics, president; Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Teacher of the Year 1992 & 1999; Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Mathematics Teacher of the Year 1992; Campbell Drive Middle School, Teacher of the Year 1983 and Campbell Drive Middle School, Mathematics Teacher of the Year 1981. Mr. Williams met the qualification as being National Board Certified in mathematics.

Mr. Williams grew up in Fort Pierce, Florida. He graduated from Lincoln Park Academy in 1968 and received both his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Florida A&M University. Excelling in academics, he fell in love with math.

He sponsored the math honor society, Mu Alpha Theta, which recognizes supeior math students and provides tutoring for those who need it at Palmetto High School. He devoted numerous hours to a tutorial program provided by his church, Kerr Memorial United Methodist Church, helping students in the West Perrine area.

Mr. Williams' colleagues and students spoke very highly of him. It was mentioned tha Mr. Williams was a consummate teacher, effective with the very brigh as well as with the most challenging students. He was the most compassinonate man that they had ever met. He was a superb teacher.

One of the students stated that he didn't like math very much but the way Mr. Williams taught, always using different strategies, it really made him like math.

The family, Armando Dominquez, a local artist whose sons were tutored by Mr. Williams honored him in a portrait. The portrait was selected for exhibitation in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. (Photo attached)

He touched the lives of so many students, friends and colleagues as a math teacher during his tenure. He is not only a great loss for the students and staff of Palmetto High School but he is a great loss to his family. He is survived by one son, Moses Alexis of Miami, five brothers (Willie Williams, Harry Williams, Shellie Williams, Eddie Poole and Reul Poole and four sisters ( Dorothy Rhyant, Ida Lee, Patricia Hooper and Joyce McGriff).

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