Connie Williams Hester
Connie Williams Hester, age 65, passed away at home Nov. 7 surrounded by her loving family. She had bravely battled pancreatic cancer for the past 29 months. Connie was a loving mother, wife, sister, daughter and grandmother.
The visitation will be held Nov. 9 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 10 in the funeral home chapel, with Bro. James Woodall and Bro. Brad Campbell officiating. Interment will follow in the East Franklin Cemetery.
Connie loved her family and was devoted to them. She is survived by her husband of 47 years Radford Hester, a daughter Dr. Leigh Hester of Rogersville, sons Dr. Gabriel Hester and wife Lauren of Birmingham, and Dean Hester and wife Amy of Athens; her step-grandchildren, Dylan and Abby Staggs of Athens; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Bobby Williams and wife Pat of East Franklin and Wendell Williams and wife Betty of Russellville. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law, Johnny Hester and Richie Hester and wife Amy of Belgreen and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lurra and Herbert Williams of East Franklin, and mother and father-in-law John B. and Grace Hester of Belgreen, as well as a sister-in-law, Joyce Hester of Belgreen.
Connie loved her animals, which included her two loving feline friends “Lil” Wayne and Blue Bell, as well as her cherished miniature donkeys, “Porky and Spanky,” and her much-loved canine “Petey.”
Connie was a native of Franklin County and a graduate of Phil Campbell High School, class of 1970. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Alabama, in Florence. She and her family lived in Fayette from 1984-2015.
Connie was a renowned artist creating portraits, landscapes, murals, signs, hieroglyphics, calligraphy and sculptures for schools, churches, towns and individuals. She was an art and science teacher for 29 years, working 26 years in the Fayette County School System and three years in the Franklin County School System.
Above all else, Connie loved the Lord and was a devoted Christian. She was a devoted member of her church and church family, the Beulah Church of God 7th Day in Phil Campbell, which she attended her entire life. She lived her religion daily and never made a disparaging remark against anyone.
Pallbearers will be her nephews, Chris Williams, Bradley Williams, Jeff Williams, Alan Williams, Shane Hester and Chris Karr. Honorary pallbearers will be other nephews and grandnephews and all members of the Phil Campbell senior class of 1970, as well as current and former faculty and staff members of Fayette Middle School and the former Fayette County Vocational School.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Katisha Vance and the staff and nurses at Alabama Oncology at Baptist Princeton Hospital in Birmingham for all their care and acts of kindness over the past 29 months. We also want to thank Dr. Brendon Haikes and Dr. Mell Duggan of Baptist Princeton for their care and kindness to Connie as well as the staff at Hospice of North Alabama, especially Nurse Kassie. The family would also like to thank Connie’s church and the family and friends who came by for visits, sent cards, provided food or offered prayers. We also want to thank all the churches in Fayette who had Connie on their prayer lists.
Pinkard Funeral Home, Russellville, is directing.
