Frances Rumfelt Williams

Frances Louise Rumfelt Williams, born September 2, 1929, was called to Heaven on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, from Mountain Ridge Wellness Center in Black Mountain, NC.

Frances was the eldest child of seven born to the late Houston B. Rumfelt and Eursley Rhom Rumfelt. She grew up in the East Marion Mill Village. She often talked about what a great childhood she had and the many life-long friends she made while growing up in East Marion. Frances graduated from Marion High School in 1947, part of the first class to be required to attend 12 years.

Frances married Charles Conley Williams in 1950. They celebrated 62 years together before Charles passed away in 2012. Though they did not have any children, Frances had 18 nieces and nephews that they spoiled as their own. Every Christmas morning, her entire family was invited to their house for breakfast. They had a present for each person there. Frances’ love and generosity toward her nieces and nephews is a memory that they all have cherished throughout their lives.

At the age of 17, Frances went to work in the cloth room at Marion Manufacturing in East Marion. She inspected cloth and worked there for 24 years. After leaving Marion Manufacturing, she worked in several textile plants before beginning work at Etta Paper Box Company. She retired from Etta at the age of 62. After retirement Frances and Charles loved to travel. She collected salt and pepper shakers from every state they visited from Marion to California.

She was baptized into East Marion Baptist Church at a young age where she participated in many activities and loved to sing in the church choir. After she and Charles married, they faithfully attended Chapel Hill Baptist Church.

In addition to her husband Charles, and her parents, Frances was preceded in death by her siblings Fred Rumfelt, Joyce Rumfelt Estes, and Mary Rumfelt Boone. She is survived by one brother, Wayne Rumfelt, and two sisters, Janice Rumfelt Stevenson and Jeanette Rumfelt Jarrett (Bill), sister-in-law Marlene Rumfelt, and by Greg Stevenson, a nephew whom she loved and cherished like a son. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Services to remember and honor Frances Louise Rumfelt Williams will be held on Friday, July 26, 2024, at Beam Funeral Service. Receiving of friends will be at 1:00 pm and the funeral service will be at 2:00 pm. Dr. Eric Grindstaff will be officiating the service. The family would like to thank the staff of Rose Hill Retirement Community and Mountain Ridge Wellness Center for their care of Frances during her last years. Burial will be in McDowell Memorial Park.