Margaret Ann Williams

Obituary For Margaret Ann Williams

Margaret A. Williams, 79, of New York passed Tuesday, December 20, 2023. The family will receive friends Saturday, December 30, 2023, from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, Eden, NC with the service beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Eden Garden Cemetery, Eden, NC. Services are entrusted to Perry-Spencer Funeral Home, Eden, NC.

Margaret Ann was born on Thursday, January 13, 1944 to the union of Florence Cohen and John Forehand, Sr. in New York, NY. She was a loving big sister to her younger John Daniel Forehand, Jr. (lovingly known as Johnny) and loved to play with her Cohen family cousins when she spent time in Leaksville, NC (now Eden, NC) with her maternal grandmother Marie Finney and grandfather George Cohen, until he relocated to Washington, DC. Afer this, by about 1959, Grandma Marie would bring the Irving cousins to New York every summer where they would camp out at Aunt Florence's place. Margaret Ann is remembered as the consummate and compassionate “big sister/cousin” as they all traveled together via Trailways bus from New York to Washington, DC (to visit their grandfather, George and uncle, Charlie Finney before continuing to North Carolina).

Margaret graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and received her AA Degree from St. John's Episcopal Hospital School of Nursing and earned her Bachelor of Science - Health Care Administration from St. Francis College. She held memberships with the New York State Nurses Association and the NAACP. Her “best jobs” were with Interfaith Medical Center & Ola Coffee Healthcare as a Charge Nurse. She also taught Nursing and took pride in preparing the next generation of caregivers. She also provided professional care to Miles Davis, introduced by his Musical Director, her cousin, Robert Irving III aka “Bobby”.

Margaret Ann as a passionate patron of the Arts, collected the works of black painters and sculptors and loved attending Alvin Ailey Dance Company, New York Ballet and San Francisco Dance Company shows. From age 12- Margaret loved jazz and classical music, especially the music Dave Brubeck (especially the song “Take Five”), Ahmad Jamal, Miles Davis, Yellowjackes, Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Johnny Mathis, Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. She also enjoyed hearing Negro Spirituals. As an avid reader, she dove deeply into the writing of Tolstoy, Ernest Hemingway, Dr. Kenneth Clarke and countess other Black authors. Famously, for Margaret, all men had to measure up to “Denzel” (Washington) whose every film, she anxiously anticipated. The movies of Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, the James Bond and Star Wars sequels were, likewise, neve rto be missed.

Margaret was an avid traveler who knew America as a magnificent country and visited 48 states. Her favorite national parks were Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, also high on her list were New Orleans, Colorado and Wisconsin. On an international scale she visited England, France, Wales, Denmark, Finland, Ressia and Poland. Her best friends Gloria Brown and Janice Lewis of Brooklyn, NY were her constant companions and joined her on many traveling adventures.

As any Christian minister seeking a Ph.D must include comparative religious studies, likewise, Margaret Ann advocated for us to students of all religions, imploring us to “Visit as many religions as possible; attend a passover (observance), Bar Mitzvah, Muslim wedding and celebrate Ramadan. It is good for your morale”

When her namesake, Aunt Margaret Cohen-Irving passed in 1967 at 39 years old leaving seven small children behind in Chicago, IL she was there to comfort them. With “little Betty” being the only girl, she immediately became her surrogate mother, advocate and mentor. Flying her to NYC and Washington, DC every summer to enjoy Broadway shows, musicals and spending time with other cousins.

Margaret Ann loved and adored her two nieces Leslie Jones and Melanie Forehand and nephew Walter Jones and was very proud of their accomplishments. Melanie fondly remembers being on the phone for hours discussing politics, their mutual love for Sean Connery, Margaret's love for Denazel and Melanie's love for Idris Elba. She also warmly recalls a NYC shopping trip with a friend for prom dresses and that “Auntie” really knew he fashion.

Leslie fondly remembers her “Hey Shugga” and can still hear her voice which continues to make her smile. Shopping trips to Macy's as a teen; and her style and taste in handbags and jewelry still live on as fond memories. Margaret's generous and loving spirit was further demonstrated via Margaret's support with book money for college each year. She always greeted Walter with a “Hey handsome” whether in person or over the phone, making him grin from ear to ear. Half of his golf shirts were from Margaret and he had to seriously improve his game to match the nice threads!

Margaret Ann departed this life early Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at NY-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital to reunite with her great ancestors including her mom, Florence Cohen-Fruchthandler and beloved brother, John Forehand, Jr. grandparents, aunts, unclea and cousins from the Cohen, Irving and Finney Clans. Left to cherish her memory and celebrate the brilliance of her life-light are her two nieces, Melanie Forehand, Leslie Jones, her husband, Walter Jones of Atlanta, GA, four 1st cousins, Paul (Rochell) Irving of Greensboro, NC, Michael Irving of Virginia Beach, kVA, Betty Irving Decosey (Dwayne) of Lakeland, FL, Robert Irving III of Chicago, ILl and a host of cousins including Dr. James Rolan Cohen (Kitty) of Eden, NC, Bishop Harry Cohen (Linda) of Burlington, NC, and heart/soul sisters, Janice Lewis and Gloria Brown of Brooklyn, NY and god-daughter, Dana Caverlaro of Upstate New York.

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