Mamie Ruth Lyons-Williams

Mamie “Ruth” Lyons-Williams was born on May 17, 1934 to Lora Belle Goodner Lyons and Ernest Lyons. She departed from this earthly life to eternal rest on April 11, 2024 at Select Specialty Hospital, Nashville, TN.

Ruth professed Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age and united with Saint Phillips AMC Church and later she united with Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist in 1948 under the late Reverend C.C. Bass. She sung in the choir and was a matron and served on the Mother Board for a while. She moved to Detroit, Mi in 1964 and joined Grace Baptist, and then New Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church, where she played the piano sometimes for the youth choir. She returned to Nashville to live in 1975 and rejoined Mt. Nebo. In the 1950’s she and several Mt. Nebo members got a spiritual singing group together and they were called “The Heavenettes.”  The Colgate Toothpaste company sponsored the group on the Black radio station WSOK at 9:00 am every Sunday morning. The group members were: John Hardison, Edward Bevins, Emmitt Wynn, Clara Walton, Ethel Ewing, Lena Lyons, Betty Kilcrease and Mamie Ruth Lyons, all deceased.

Ruth received her education in the Nashville Davidson County Public Schools and in Detroit, Mi.  She worked in the medical field as a Unit Clerk at St. Thomas Hospital, Nashville, TN, and as a Medical Transcriptionist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Mi. She also worked as a Head Cook at Susie Q Restaurant in Royal Oaks, Mi. She was an entrepreneur, and owned several businesses, a Catering Service, Consignment Store and Convenient Store in Nashville.

Ruth was united in holy matrimony to John William Lockridge, Sr. in 1950 and from this union one son was born, John William Lockridge, Jr. who preceded her in death in June 2020. She was united in holy matrimony to James L. Swett, and from this union three children were born, two daughters, Pamela D. Swett and Cheryl L. Swett; and one son James Arron Swett.

Ruth enjoyed cooking and was very creative in the kitchen. She loved her family and was most happy at family gatherings which she loved to host, and playing Bid Whist card game. She liked to sew, travel, shop out of mail order catalogs, watching TV the old movies and court TV, music – Gospel, Jazz, R&B and some classical. She loved sports, Baseball, Football, Basketball and Soccer. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she would decorate every room in the house. She loved her church family and her minister, Pastor Bryson.

She leaves to cherish her beautiful memories, her three children, Pamela Darlene Swett, James Arron (Marjorie) Swett and Cheryl Lynn Swett; 6 grandchildren, Anthony Poole, Atlanta, Ga; Yolanda Poole, Nashville, Tanisha Smith, Detroit, Mi; Dewan Swett, Nashville; Marquita Johnson (Ernest), Nashville and devoted granddaughter Ajza Perry (ShaRon), Owings, MD; 15 Great-Grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; one niece, Verna Lyons Childs, Nashville ; 4 nephews, Ernest Lyons, Jr., Nashville, devoted nephew John Otis Lyons (Jacqueline) Chattanooga, TN, Wayne Lyons, Nashville, Charles Kilcrease, Jr. (Betty), Columbia, TN; devoted cousin, Harriett Herring (Memphis, TN); devoted great-niece Cherylann Lyons; great-nieces and nephews; devoted nephew Peter Wherry (Wanda) Charlotte, NC; devoted friends, Dr. & Mrs. Lucian Davis, Mrs. Kay Alexander, Pamela Webb, Grace Massey (St. Louis, Mo), Veronica Greer (beloved Caregiver), and a host of cousins, other family and friends.