Pastor Lillian Yvonne Williams Coley was part of a remarkable family history spanning generations — from the Williams family's roots in Emanuel County, Georgia, to the lives and legacies of their descendants in Miami, Florida, and beyond.
- BornNovember 10, 1945
- ParentsRobert Williams & Hezzie Mae Wilcher Williams
- MarriedJames J. Coley Sr.
- ChildrenAngela, James Edward Jr., Jacqueline, Yvonne Yvette, LaTasha, Shanika
- MEC rootsThe Coley family, one of MEC's founding families
- MinistryPastor, MEC #3 — Ministries of Deliverance, Miami
- Went homeMarch 30, 2013
Family and roots
Born on November 10, 1945, Lillian was the daughter of Robert Williams and Hezzie Mae Wilcher Williams. She grew up as part of a large family whose history is preserved through census records, family photographs, memorial tributes, and the recollections of relatives.
Lillian was the wife of James J. Coley Sr. and the mother of six children: Angela, James Edward Jr., Jacqueline, Yvonne Yvette, LaTasha, and Shanika. Through her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, her family legacy continues into new generations.
Leading Ministries of Deliverance
Her ties to M.E.C. go back to its very beginning. When Mother Evangelist Virginia Smith opened the ministry's first storefront in the early 1970s, it began with only a few faithful families — and the Coley family was one of them, alongside the Smith, Mortimer, and Rachel families and Bishop Otis Kemp and his family.
Known and remembered as Pastor Lillian Yvonne Williams Coley, her name holds a place in both her family's history and its tradition of faith. On October 11, 1999, MEC #3 — Ministries of Deliverance — was incorporated at 2961 NW 60th Street in Miami, with Pastor Coley as its leader. From one of the founding families came a pastor of one of the ministry's own churches.
Family, faith, history, and remembrance.
A life remembered
Her passing on March 30, 2013, marked the close of her earthly life, but not the end of her story. The family connections, photographs, memories, and records preserved today give us the opportunity to honor her life and introduce her legacy to generations who never had the chance to know her personally.
As additional testimonies and ministry records are gathered, this tribute will continue to grow — preserving the personal experiences and spiritual contributions that made Pastor Lillian Yvonne Williams Coley's life uniquely her own.
If you knew Pastor Coley and would like to share a memory of her life or ministry, we would be honored to hear it.