Myra Allene Williamson

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Williamson
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ASHEVILLE – Myra Allene Williamson, 77, passed away peacefully on Dec. 22, 2020 at Mission Hospital. She was born in Macon County on January 9, 1943 to parents John H. Williamson and Willie Mae Williamson.

She was a 1961 graduate of Franklin High School and earned a BA in English from Western Carolina University in 1965, and later a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from UNC-Charlotte.

She began her teaching career at Hendersonville High School in 1965 and later moved to Independence High School in Charlotte where she taught senior English for 20 years. The students appreciated her energy and enthusiasm in presenting the lesson material from Macbeth to Beowulf. In 1989, she was selected to be on the first English staff of Providence Senior High School. She served on numerous committees and was the yearbook advisor for several years. After 30 years of teaching high school English, she retired in 1995. She and her husband BJ moved to Asheville to be closer to her parents.

Allene and BJ spent many summers traveling in Europe. After his death in 2012, Allene continued traveling. She loved the Great River Cruises of Europe, particularly the Danube; the Adriatic Coast; Croatia; and the Greek Isles. The height of her travels came in 2017 with an extended trip to the Holy Land. She made many  friendships on her travels. It was on one of these trips that she decided to use “Myra” as her name. She found it embarrassing and inconvenient that so many people couldn’t spell “Allene” or even pronounce it.

A member of Biltmore Church, Allene served on numerous volunteer groups, filling school bags in the fall or serving on the counting team every Monday morning. She also volunteered at St. Joe’s Hospital and Mission Hospital.

Allene loved people and developed many good and loyal friendships over the years. She usually had a full calendar of weekday lunch dates with her lady friends. She maintained a close relationship with a group of her high school classmates who live in or near Asheville. They liked to visit Allene and BJ’s house for socials during the Christmas season. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband BJ, and an infant sister Freda Mae Williamson. She is survived by her sister Sue W. Sams (Clay) of Charlotte, several cousins, and a host of devoted friends, neighbors, and traveling acquaintances.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Lucas and the entire staff of Messino Cancer Center for their care and compassion over the past 3 years. Thanks also to the staff and doctors of Mission Hospital for their competent and dedicated care. Not least of all, we thank her amazing neighbors for their compassion and care in watching over her before and during her illness.

Because of the pandemic, no services are planned.

Memorial gifts may be made to: Biltmore Student Bible Project, Biltmore Church, 35 Clayton Road, Arden, NC 28704 or to The American Cancer Society, 120 Executive Park, Asheville, NC 28801.

Condolences may be made at grocefuneralhome.com. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.