Rodney Williams

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Rodney Keith Williams, 46, of Mount Vernon and a former resident of Saline County, died 2:19 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008, at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon.

Rodney was born Dec. 3, 1962, in Eldorado, a son of James Williams and Betty (White). He married Sherri (Maxfield) Lightfoot on Nov. 9, 2006, in Saline County; she survives in Mount Vernon.

Rodney worked for North American Drillers out of West Virginia. He had attended the First Baptist Church in Raleigh and later Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Mount Vernon. He was a member of Sons of American Legion Post No. 141 of Mount Vernon.

He is survived by his wife, Sherri Williams of Mount Vernon; mother, Betty Roberts of Eldorado; biological father, James Williams of Fort Worth, Texas; son, Ryan Williams of Ledford; daughter, Breah Williams of Ledford; two stepsons, Storm Lightfoot and wife Jayme and Curtiss Hailey and wife Samantha, both of Mount Vernon; two stepdaughters, Sarabeth Lightfoot and Sheyenne Lightfoot and fiancee Shayne Tackitt, both still at home; sister, Leasia and husband Mark Alecci of Harrisburg; three stepsisters, Roda and husband Danny Dennis of Enfield, Melissa Tucker of Ewing and Janet Roberts of Nashville; one stepbrother, Duke Roberts of Mount Vernon; two grandsons, Lane Lightfoot and Damien Hailey, both of Mount Vernon; special aunt, Carolyn White of Eldorado; and also several beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his dad, Clarence Roberts Sr.

Memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009, at the First Baptist Church in Raleigh; Pastor David Pinkerton will officiate. The family will receive friends at the church from 12:30 p.m. until service time on Sunday.

For those who wish, in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Rodney Williams family and will be accepted at the funeral home or may be mailed to Newell Funeral Home, 2707 North St., Mount Vernon, Ill. 62864.

For more information you may call Newell Funeral Home at (618) 246-0100 or visit at www.newellfuneralhome.com.