Verbileene Gethema Sullivan Williamson, 83, of Ocilla, Georgia, died Saturday, July 29, 2017, at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
Funeral services will be held 11 AM, Wednesday, August 2, 2017, at Ocilla Church of God with the Rev. Joel Shirley and the Rev. Clayton Dowd officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery in Fitzgerald. The family will receive friends from 6-8 Tuesday evening at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mrs. Williamson was born October 18, 1933, in Lowmoor, Virginia to the late Bishop John L. & Annie Pearl Wilson Sullivan. She was the oldest of six children. Her father was a pastor, district overseer, and state overseer. She attended school in Virginia, Georgia, and Michigan and graduated from Cleveland State Community College in Cleveland, Tennessee. She also graduated from Bible Training Institute and finished the Post-Graduate Course of Bible Training Institute.
Mrs. Williamson served as State C.P.M.A. Secretary in Indiana and pastored churches in Indiana, Georgia, and Tennessee. She worked at Tomlinson College as secretary to the Continuing Education Department until Tomlinson College closed. She was then transferred to General Headquarters where she served as secretary to the Center for Biblical Leadership. She later would serve as secretary to General Presbyter Larry Wilson until his death at which time she was asked to move to the General Overseer’s office as one of his secretaries where she served until her retirement in December 2004. Mrs. Williamson moved to Ocilla in 2006 and worked as a substitute teacher in the Irwin County School System through last school term. She was affectionately known as “Miss Verbie” or “Grandma” to the students she taught. She was a member of Sonrise Chapel in Tifton and attended Ocilla Church of God where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday School.
She is survived by three children: Edmund and wife Christy, Bobby and wife Glenda, and Marnita denBok and husband Tony, who are pastors in Stayner, Ontario, Canada; as well as daughter-in-law, Diana. She has eleven grandchildren. She considers her children and grandchildren’s companions as her own so she would say she has eight children including in-laws, 14 grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. She is also survived by sisters & brothers-in-law, Frances & Mikey Jones, Brenda & Carey Cox and Myra & Wayne Smythers; brother, Carl Gene Sullivan as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by son, Dale Williamson; infant daughter, Gethema Arlene Williamson; and sister, Doris Sullivan Tomey.
Her greatest desire was to see many souls brought to God.