Millicent Williamson Obituary

Millicent Taylor Williamson, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed peacefully on January 5 surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Born September 20, 1944, in Daytona Beach, Florida, to Carolyn and Harold ("Cap") T. Taylor, Millie was known for her warm smile, easygoing nature, and love of all things sporty. Growing up just a short walk from the beach, her early life resembled a Gidget screenplay-surfing longboards after school as the first female surfer on Daytona Beach, enjoying beach picnics, boating on the inlets, waterskiing, and fishing for fun. If she wasn't out with friends, she could be found by her father's side, who affectionately called her "Pally" because she never wanted to be left behind.

It's no surprise that Millie eventually added sailing to her list of water sports. Her grandfather, Capt. Joel Van Sant, was the designer of the classic Moth Boat, a small, fast, single-handed racing sailboat that originated in the US in 1929. Millie came from a long line of shipbuilders, and saltwater ran through her veins. She raced at the Charleston Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing adventures that took her from the waters of Cape Cod to the shores of Trinidad.

As a spouse to a US Air Force pilot, Millie relocated with ease, including a notable tour of duty in the Azores Islands. Living with young children on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean taught her resilience and instilled in her a lifelong love of daisies.

Millie made friends easily and was a devoted member of the Friendship Circle Sunday school class at Bethany United Methodist Church in Summerville, SC. A graduate of the University of Florida and a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Millie also taught at Summerville Intermediate High School and Fort Dorchester High School.

With creative zeal, she co-owned a 'Bloomin Balloons' business in the early eighties bringing smiles to recipients faces with this novel approach to celebrations in the Lowcountry area.

An avid tennis player, Millie continued to hit balls with a coach well into the late stages of her disease. This competitive streak included skillfully played card games and would still break into a grin when drawing an Ace during recent activity times.

Her greatest joy in life was her family. Millie took enormous pride in her children and grandchildren and cherished each of them deeply. She is survived by her two daughters, Tracy Dart and her husband, Daniel (Princeton, NJ) and Christine Pringle and her husband, Walter (Charlotte, NC). Millie was also the proud grandmother of five grandchildren who affectionately called her "Nannie": Ashley, William (deceased) and Sophie Dart; and Walter and Charles Pringle.

In addition to her daughters and grandchildren, Millie is survived by her beloved cousin, Linda Taylor Mohring (Diedrich). She was predeceased by her parents, her brother H. Thomas (Tom) Taylor, and her grandson, William Dart.

Her marriage to Terry B. Williamson ended in divorce.

Mom's smile and kind spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to 4Ocean (www.4ocean.com).