Post by Marc LeVine on Dec 26, 2006 11:11:32 GMT -5
Family raising money to bring son's body home
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/23/06
BY JOSEPH SAPIA
FREEHOLD BUREAU
FREEHOLD — The family of a former borough man is trying to raise more than $11,000 for funeral costs and transport of his body from the Philippines, where he lived and died earlier this week in a motorcycle accident.
Jerome Jemall Williams, 37, married and the father of six children ages 1 to 12, was killed instantly when his motorcycle crashed near his Mandaluyong City home, according to Philippine news accounts.
The family needs about $11,500 to cover funeral costs in the Philippines and locally, along with the cost of transporting the body back to New Jersey, according to Williams' mother, Marsha Holts, 55, of Neptune.
The family needs added funds of an undetermined amount to bring three of Williams' children to New Jersey for a funeral from their Los Angeles home, Holts said. The other three children live in the Philippines.
"I know I don't have that money readily available," Holts said.
The family tonight is to hold a vigil at Williams' childhood home, as they did Friday night, to remember him and raise funds, Holts said. The vigil is set for 6 to 8 p.m. at Avenue A near Haley Street.
The family hopes to bury "JJ," as he was known, at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery for military veterans in North Hanover, Holts said. Williams' father, Claude Jerome Williams, is buried at the cemetery, Holts said.
Williams was retired on a medical disability from the Navy, where he served on a nuclear submarine, Holts said. He lived in the Philippines, where his wife Jenny's parents were from, for about seven years, Holts said.
Williams last lived in the Freehold area in about 1988, when he joined the Navy, Holts said.
"Thanks (to) modern technology, I (would) see him through webcam," said Holts, speaking of Internet communication with her son. "But the last time he was home was 1995."
Williams played football at Freehold High School.
"I used to go to the game, watching so he didn't get hurt," Holts said.
Williams recently received a bachelor's degree is economics and was to work toward a master's degree, Holts said.
He was not known as a motorcycle enthusiast, Holts said, but apparently he was "excited about taking riding lessons."
"And, then, it happened," she said.
Williams was killed when his motorcycle crashed into a truck traveling in front of him, according to news reports.
Williams' family — whose other surnames include Lewis and Mayes — has been in the Freehold area for about four generations, Holts said. Williams' grandmother, Geraldine, lives in the house where the vigil is being held.
It was that house, according to Holts, that Williams lived in after he was born at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
Joe Sapia: (732) 308-7754; (800) 822-9770, ext. 7754; JSapia@app.com
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 12/23/06
BY JOSEPH SAPIA
FREEHOLD BUREAU
FREEHOLD — The family of a former borough man is trying to raise more than $11,000 for funeral costs and transport of his body from the Philippines, where he lived and died earlier this week in a motorcycle accident.
Jerome Jemall Williams, 37, married and the father of six children ages 1 to 12, was killed instantly when his motorcycle crashed near his Mandaluyong City home, according to Philippine news accounts.
The family needs about $11,500 to cover funeral costs in the Philippines and locally, along with the cost of transporting the body back to New Jersey, according to Williams' mother, Marsha Holts, 55, of Neptune.
The family needs added funds of an undetermined amount to bring three of Williams' children to New Jersey for a funeral from their Los Angeles home, Holts said. The other three children live in the Philippines.
"I know I don't have that money readily available," Holts said.
The family tonight is to hold a vigil at Williams' childhood home, as they did Friday night, to remember him and raise funds, Holts said. The vigil is set for 6 to 8 p.m. at Avenue A near Haley Street.
The family hopes to bury "JJ," as he was known, at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery for military veterans in North Hanover, Holts said. Williams' father, Claude Jerome Williams, is buried at the cemetery, Holts said.
Williams was retired on a medical disability from the Navy, where he served on a nuclear submarine, Holts said. He lived in the Philippines, where his wife Jenny's parents were from, for about seven years, Holts said.
Williams last lived in the Freehold area in about 1988, when he joined the Navy, Holts said.
"Thanks (to) modern technology, I (would) see him through webcam," said Holts, speaking of Internet communication with her son. "But the last time he was home was 1995."
Williams played football at Freehold High School.
"I used to go to the game, watching so he didn't get hurt," Holts said.
Williams recently received a bachelor's degree is economics and was to work toward a master's degree, Holts said.
He was not known as a motorcycle enthusiast, Holts said, but apparently he was "excited about taking riding lessons."
"And, then, it happened," she said.
Williams was killed when his motorcycle crashed into a truck traveling in front of him, according to news reports.
Williams' family — whose other surnames include Lewis and Mayes — has been in the Freehold area for about four generations, Holts said. Williams' grandmother, Geraldine, lives in the house where the vigil is being held.
It was that house, according to Holts, that Williams lived in after he was born at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
Joe Sapia: (732) 308-7754; (800) 822-9770, ext. 7754; JSapia@app.com