Obituary of Pauline Williams
Pauline Purnell Williams, lovingly known to many as Mom, Miss Pauline, Miss P., Mom Pauline, and one of her favorites, Auntie P., passed away peacefully on November 14, 2025, at the age of 86, surrounded by loved ones.
Born on October 20, 1939, in Baltimore, MD, she grew into a woman whose warmth, wit, and generous spirit touched countless lives. After leaving Baltimore, where her father, James Purnell, served in the Navy, she lived in Philadelphia until the age of eight before moving with her family to Camden, NJ. She attended Whittier Elementary School, Hatch Middle School, and Camden High School.
For most of her life, she worked in the healthcare field as a Nurses’ Aide, caring for children with disabilities and seniors. She also worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, with her longest tenure at Cooper Hospital. Dedicated to her profession, she continued her education to earn certification as an Operating Room Technician at Cooper, where she later served as Assistant Supervisor, retiring at the age of 77.
She was a lifelong mystery-lover—an avid reader and devoted fan of every who-done-it show she could find. She delighted in predicting plot twists long before the final reveal, often with a knowing smile that proved she had it figured out from the start.
Travel was one of her greatest joys, especially when it brought her to jazz festivals around the world. Her musical taste was wonderfully her own—from jazz and R&B to soul; she loved what she loved. And whenever music played—even just a little—she’d dance. She didn’t need a reason, an occasion, or an audience. Joy was her rhythm, and dancing was how she shared it.
In recent years, Martha’s Vineyard became the place that filled her heart. Surrounded by family and friends, she found peace in its beauty, laughter in its gatherings, and comfort in its traditions. Those days on the island were among her happiest.
She is survived by her beloved daughter, Sylvia, along with countless “bonus children”—friends who became family and who loved her as their own. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald C. Williams, her mother Lucille Stubbs Purnell, and her father James E. Purnell, as well as by those she lovingly considered her bonus moms and bonus siblings.
A memorial gathering will be held at the Falco/Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home, 6600 N. Browning Road in Pennsauken on Saturday, December 13, 2025 from Noon until 1:00 PM, where a celebration of her life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Family and friends are invited to honor her memory, share stories, and reflect on the joy, curiosity, and love she brought into the world.
To know Miss Pauline—Miss P., Auntie P., Mom Pauline, and Mom—was to be welcomed, uplifted, and loved. Her spirit, her smile, and her dance will be deeply missed and beautifully remembered.