Loretta Wise Williams

The angels rejoiced on February 27, 1947, for the birth of Loretta Wise, at DC General Hospital. Born to the late Nettie Eula (Sanders) and John Bunion Wise, Jr. in Washington D.C. where she was also raised. She received her education from D.C. Public Schools - J.C. Nalle Elementary, Kelly Miller Junior High, and Spingarn High School. She married her childhood sweetheart, Everett Tyrone Williams, and welcomed a daughter named Lorraine Yvonne. While working for the Federal Government, Loretta attended and graduated from Federal City College, which is currently known as the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). She retired as a manager with the Dept of Health and Human Services.

 Loretta had a few favorite pastimes, which included having in-depth conversations, teaching, and cooking. Always perfecting recipes and learning new ones were her absolute favorite things to do. You could always find her in the kitchen cooking, cleaning, ordering a cooking utensil that she didn’t have, or making a grocery list of items needed to make a dish that she just recently learned about. Please don’t say the wrong thing around her; she would not only scold you but she would get you a book on the topic - educating you thoroughly. You would often hear her say, “You learn something new every day.” As a grandmother, she adored her grandchildren and would frequently take Sade out to view the different phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and picnics. FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo), Black Ski Inc., and the Kennedy Center held a special place in her heart, as she loved animals, skiing, and the theatre.

Through adversity, Loretta remained strong and steadfast in her beliefs and convictions. There were times when her family knew that Jesus was protecting her and had her in His care. She will always be remembered for her gentle and kind spirit. Loretta peacefully entered eternal rest on Sunday, December 17th. Both of her parents and her younger sister, Patricia, preceded her in death. She leaves behind to cherish her memory - her loving daughter Lorraine Yvonne and son-in-love Loren Keith. Her beloved granddaughters Taylor Charis and Sade Tamar, grandson-in-love Warees Amir, her loving great-grandchildren Saree Amirah and Micah Naeem, and a host of family members and friends.