Martha “Tena” Elizabeth Williams (Collier) was born on August 20, 1937. She passed away in her sleep on January 10, 2025, in her home. 

Tena’s parents were Charles Collier and Gladys “Kitty” Amanda Ewing. Her Grandparents, Clyde Almond Ewing and Alma Viola Ewing (Cowans) moved their family to Chicago from Wybark, Oklahoma in 1929. They lived at 3525 Cottage Grove and in 1946, Clyde purchased the building at 3547 Cottage Grove - a four-flat with a storefront. The original Sanford & Son opened a junk store, Ewing & Son. He and his son Clyde Jr. would drive around Chicago in an old pickup truck to collect items to sell in the store. Her mother “Kitty” had a beauty shop called “Kitty’s Beauty Shop” at 3620 Cottage Grove. 

Clyde and Alma Ewing and their extended family joined the West Point Baptist Church community where they were active members who contributed to the development of the church during its foundational years. Clyde served on the Deacon and Trustee Board until 1981. Alma was a dedicated missionary, serving as president of the Senior Missionary Project for twelve years. Picking up the mantle from her grandparents, Tena was an active church member. She served on the Missionary Committee and was a Junior Usher. She also sang in the choir, sent countless birthday and get-well cards, and baked unforgettable desserts. 

Tena attended Dolittle Elementary where she developed a love for reading and played Gretal in the school play “Hansel and Gretal”. At a young age, Tena developed a passion for physical education. She loved to be in motion. Tena attended Wendell Phillips High School where she was co-captain of the cheerleading team, a competitive swimmer, and secretary of the swim team. Tena was a member of the Library Club and Girls Service Club. After graduating high school in 1955, Tena attended and graduated from Northern Illinois University majoring in Physical Education. She was a founding member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated at Northern. She attended Northwestern University, where she received her master's in education administration.

Her grandparents firmly ingrained the Cowans-Ayers-Ewing values at a young age. Honor God, live a life of service, stand up for yourself and others, and call it as you see it. She is from the “do something about it” generation who stayed engaged in their church, community, and the world. Tena was an active warrior for civil rights, playing a key role in organizing the Waukegan branch of the national civil rights movement. She often found herself in historical moments. Meeting face-to-face with Dr. King, she would say,“was the most memorable moment of my life”. One day, she found herself in the balcony at Emmitt Till’s funeral – always a witness to history.

Tena started her career as a physical education teacher at the newly opened Waukegan West High School in Waukegan, IL. She taught at Englewood High School and Director at Loop City College (Harold Washington) in Chicago, IL. While living in Evanston, Tena was the Director of Upward Bound at Northwestern University where she helped low-income students prepare for college. She held principalships at Roosevelt Elementary in Bellwood, IL, Crawford, Sixth Avenue, and Lyn Knoll Elementary schools in Aurora, CO, Wakonda Elementary in Omaha, NE, and Glen Flora Elementary in Waukegan, IL. Tena was well known for her ability to connect with students from all backgrounds. She was unfailing in her dedication to improving the lives of her students. They were all “her kids”.

As a mother, she exemplified hard work, leadership, and drive. She was loving and sentimental. She celebrated every holiday, using her creativity to create elaborate Easter baskets. When she gave you a gift, it was well thought out, wrapped to perfection with a handwritten card that would make you cry. She kept all the photos, awards, poems, and artwork and put them on display. Tena kept her kids busy, taught them about race relations and politics, and opened the world through books, travel, and music. She loved the Temptations, Johnny Mathis, Donny Hathaway, Dionne Warwick, Barbara Streisand, Harry Belafonte, and many others.

Tena loved gardening and sewing (clothes, needlepoint, and crochet). She was a voracious reader, her favorite book was Moby Dick. Even after she was diagnosed with low vision, she continued to read with a magnifier, emboss cards, bake, and swim. Nothing stopped her.

Tena was the family librarian, photographer, and keeper of family facts and history. Her friends and family will miss her loving energy, warm, boisterous laughter, playful teasing, and ability to ask a thousand good questions.

Martha “Tena” Williams and Benjamin Williams were married for 19 years and had 2 children, Bennett Burns Williams, and Kitt Collier Miller (Williams). Tena is also survived by two grandchildren, Kennedy Elizabeth Williams and Baylee Benet Miller, niece, Onshell Williams, nephew, Charles “Chuck” Williams, and many loving cousins and lifetime friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Charles Collier and Gladys “Kitty” Amanda Ewing, her sister, Mercedes Williams (Ewing), her nephew, Ronnie Williams, Uncle, Clyde Ewing Jr., and her grandparents, Clyde and Alma Ewing (Cowans).

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