Ms. Bobbie Gayle Williams Philyaw

Ms. Bobbie Gayle Williams Philyaw was born on November 26, 1954, in Donalsonville, GA to the late Willie Isaac Williams Sr and Willie Robinson Muhammad. She departed this life on June 27, 2021. As a young child raised in Panama City, FL by her mother and daddy the late William Robinson Muhammad, she was fondly known as “Boxemem Gayle” because of her feisty and fierce spirit and her willingness to always fight for what was right. She attended school in the Bay County school district and graduated in 1972 from Bay High School. Upon completing high school, she married Andrew Holmes Sr. and that union produced 4 kids and although the marriage ended, a lifetime friendship continued. She later married Lawrence Philyaw in which she had 3 more beautiful kids and gained 3 bonus kids. She had a lifelong passion of becoming a nurse and worked many years as a CNA and cared for elderly patients. She loved caring for and nurturing others as told through the many stories she shared with her kids and others. As she grew older, her fighting spirit continued as she worked to become a supervisor in the customer service field until she retired. She had a peculiar sense of humor and an immense love for music and at any given moment she would break out in song and dance. She was a bright light with a beautiful and sweet spirit with an infectious laugh that translated over to those she encountered. She leaves to cherish her memories, stepmom Sallie Williams along with her four daughters and six sons, Andrew Holmes Jr. (Terri) of Forest Park, IL, Teddy Philyaw of Atlanta, GA, Calandra Holmes (Jim) of Kenosha, WI, Qadree Holmes (Troy) of Chicago, IL, Tanisha Scott of Tallahassee, FL, Jamell Philyaw (Janelle) of Panama City, FL, Kareem Holmes (Nicole) of Sanford, FL, Takara Warman (Albert) of Sanford, FL, Lawrence Philyaw of Sanford, FL and April Philyaw of Sanford, FL. Three sisters; Bernice Williams of Alexandria, VA, Margaret Gaines (Freddie) of Lynn Haven, FL, Sharon Williams Spear of Sneads, FL and “Auntie Mommy” to Charlene Williams Johnson of Dumfries, VA. Two brothers, Isaac Williams (Leah) of Gainesville, FL, and Wiley Williams (Shannon) of Quincy, FL. She also leaves four grandchildren Kareem Holmes Jr, Nigel Holmes, Elizabeth Holmes and John Warman as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and those who affectionately called her “momma”.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 10, 2021 at Collison-Gramkow Funeral Home from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 PM in the chapel of the funeral home. The Repast will follow at Signature Events Hall located at 2921 S. Orlando Drive Suite 142 Sanford, Florida 32773. The family is accepting flowers or donations to Advocating for African Americans with Alzheimer's at https://www.acts2project.org/Donate.html

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