Jeri Reaves Williamson, 80, passed away on August 3, 2026, while living in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.

Jeri was born on March 17, 1946, in Greenville, North Carolina, and graduated from R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem. In the late 1960s, she attended Coastal Carolina College in Conway, South Carolina, where she was crowned Miss Coastal Carolina. She later returned to campus as an adult learner, taking classes simply for the love of learning.

For many years, Jeri was an active and beloved member of the Kiwanis Club of Pawleys Island, SC, where she served as president for a time and dedicated much of her time to volunteering with children with special needs. She was also a longtime member of Brookgreen Gardens, and looking forward to the gardens’ Christmas lights each year was one of her favorite holiday traditions. She found joy in quiet pleasures — a good book, an afternoon relaxing by the pool, and time spent with the family she loved so dearly.

Jeri was preceded in death by her parents, Mary Allen Reaves and Louis Albert Reaves; her brothers, Jon Reaves and Jimmy Reaves; and her husband, Milton Clay Williamson.

She is survived by her sisters, Jacque Miller and Mary Lou Brown, and her three children:

James Carr Gilmore II (wife, Sharon), their daughter, Whitley, and great-grandchildren, Kaiya, Sawyer, and Dawson;

Jennifer Gilmore Giordano (husband, David), and their children, Evan and Elizabeth Ann; and

Jonathan Christopher Gilmore (wife, Sarah Ferrie), and their children, Isabel Ferrie, Piper Gilmore, Fiona Gilmore, Ella Ferrie, and Alexandra Ferrie.

She is also survived by her nieces, Michele Widmar, Cera Brown, and Mary Kris Brown; and her nephews, Josh Kimsey and Jonny Reaves.

Jeri will be remembered for her warmth, her generous spirit, and the years she gave to her community. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness and generosity. Memories of her will be treasured for generations to come.

A memorial service will be held on September 21, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Goldfinch Funeral Home, 202 Hinnant Lane, Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jeri’s memory to the V Foundation.