Christina “Chissy” Danena Williams, was born January 21, 1956, to the late Mary Ruth Jones Dunbar and the late Fredrick Williams Jr., in Bradenton, Fl. She was a lifelong resident of Bradenton, Fl, and on March 16th, 2023, at 11:58 am, God extended his hand, gifted her a set of wings, and called his baby girl to reside in her final resting place. Without hesitation, she took her perfectly fitted wings, grabbed her Father’s healing hand, took her last breath, and knew God’s will was done.

She attended Manatee County Public schools, and after graduating from Manatee High School in 1974, she attended Manatee Junior College. Chris grew up in church and there began her love for Christ. She started her Christian fellowship as a young girl at Carter Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. After over 30 years of attending Carter Temple, she later joined Bethel CME Church in Sarasota, Fl, where she served diligently and faithfully. She was a very active member of the Willing Workers Ministry, Culinary Ministry, the Director of the Youth Department and sang in the Choir.

Chris had an amazing sense of style and was a gifted seamstress and tailor. She was known throughout Manatee and Sarasota Counties for her exceptional work, which she prided herself in. Everyone loved to call upon her for alterations, creating wedding and prom dresses, tailoring suits and recreating fashions from all types of clothing and pattern pieces. She was a personal seamstress and tailor for celebrity likes such as Dick Vitale and Peewee Herman.

In her early years, she was employed by Wolf Brothers, a high scaled men’s clothing store in Desoto Square Mall, where she was a Professional Seamstress and Tailor. After the store closed its doors in 1991, she became a Canvas seamstress at Taylor Made. Shortly after becoming employed by Taylor Made, she started her own alterations home business, C-Willi Sews.

Chris was a devoted mother, and she loved her family! She was a gracious woman who loved singing for the Lord, prioritizing others before herself, spending time with her family, extended family, and friends. She also enjoyed attending church, listening to gospel music, shopping, baking cakes, reading books, walking, and attending plays.

A few kind words cannot begin to define Chris. There aren’t enough pages to embellish all the lives she impacted and touched. She spent her life serving the Lord and encouraging everyone she knew, and for that, we know she earned this greatest celebration of her life and a place in heaven. She was not only a life giver, provider of wisdom and lender of grace, she was a child of God, a true spiritual leader.

In addition to her parents, Chris was preceded in death by her son Roderick Rashord Stephens, her grandparents Mary Bell Jones and Damon Jones, Alma Edwards Williams, and Fredrick Williams Sr., Stepfather Philmon Dunbar; Uncles, Ulysses Jones, and Allen Jones; Aunts LaRosa Lattimore, Elizabeth Jones and Nell Jones; nephews Alvin Jones, Jamaar McKenzie, and Khelton Betsey.

She leaves to mourn and cherish her love and legacy, Daughter, YaPracia (Chauncey) Mitchell, Son Karri Stephens; Grandchildren: Derick, Braylon and Jaxon Mitchell; Siblings; Gloria Jean Jones, Gayle Jones, Phyllis (Ray) Stargent, Janice (Willie) Dunbar Smith, Teresa Williams, Carolyn (Ronald) Felder, Stanley Dunbar, Terry (Letricia) Williams, and Terrell Williams; Step-Brothers, Tony Dunbar, Ricky (Lillie) Dunbar, Marvin (Anne Marie) Dunbar; Aunts: Josephine Jones, Betty Jones and Bettye Mitchell; Uncles, Leroy Jones; Nieces: Latrice Johnson, Latora Washington, Montra McKenzie, Earlene Jones, Ashley Dunbar, Allison Dunbar, Amber Williams, Asia Williams, D’Erra Scott, Liberty Gibson, Natasha Holmes, Kelondra Ramey; Nephews: Reginald (Pearl) Jones, Terrell Williams Jr., Jeremiah Williams, Isaiah Williams, Keldrick Kirkland and Darneilus Holmes; Great Nieces: Sierra Blackmon, Taylar Davis and Kaitlyn Johnson; Great Nephews: Bobby Dawes Jr and Rod Davis; Special Cousins: Chauncey Jones and Lawana Yvette Jones; God Children, Danielle McNeil, Valdavia Smith, Kenyatta Randall, Erica Randall, Patrick McNeil and Aaron Randall II; a host of cousins, and her extended family, the Bowden’s.

Special Friends; Rev. Anita Williams, Barbara Randall, Cassandra Welch, Debra Lawton, Dovie Murray, Lavender Suarez, Jogina Jones, Louis Vaus, Mary Sampson, Aaron Randall, Harvey Archie, Wesley Watkins, Clint Brown, Pastor Richard McDuffie, and Pastor Desi Echols.