Remembering Phyllis Williams, Class of 2000
I met Phyllis Williams in 1999 at the now FiftyForward Donelson Station during the Labor Day Bar-B-Que fundraiser. We were both volunteers in the kitchen of Larry Keeton, Class of 2003. I had just graduated from L’Evate and she was in the upcoming class. We became instant friends and volunteered together for many community fundraisers, events and activities over the years.
Phyllis Williams was a member of the Class of 2000 (our second class). She worked at Old Hickory Credit Union. About a year after graduation, she was asked to start our Alumni Association because she had been so engaged with her class and had kept up with each one of them. She was Alumni chair for all alumni until 2004 when we started assigning an Alumni Chair for each class.
She became Chair Elect in 2004 and was Board Chair in 2005. Her initiatives were alumni project oriented. She championed our Adopt a Highway initiative which we continued until 2011 and our involvement in Relay for Life. She wrote personal notes to every new class member every year welcoming them to our family. She also attended every class retreat for 16 years straight. In all she attended 18 retreats.
Awards she received in L’Evate included The Leadership Spirit Award, The Heart of the Community Award and the Margarita Award, (a margarita glass in honor of 16 consecutive retreats attended).
Phyllis was an active member until her passing and we owe her a debt of gratitude for her ideas and hard work on behalf of the Alumni and the organization. She never wavered in her love for L’Evate and the Alumni teams.
I miss her and know you all do as well.
Deann
