Nan Miller Williams

Nan Miller Williams — A Life Lived in Full Color and Full Faith

July 6, 1944 – July 30, 2025

How do you reduce a force of nature to a few paragraphs?

The short answer is: you don’t. But we’ll try.

Nan Miller Williams was born July 6, 1944, in Perry, Georgia, to Frank and Sara Miller. One of five spirited siblings, Nan held a special bond with each of them—Gilbert, Frank, Tracy, and her beloved sister, Sara Jane. From the beginning, she stood out: clever, capable, wildly creative, and just nosy enough to be deeply interesting. If curiosity is a virtue, Nan was a saint.

She married Peyton Lingle and raised three children—Peyton, Katy, and Tracy—with the kind of love that leaves permanent fingerprints on your soul. Later in life, she found her match in John Williams, the rare kind of man who could meet her strength with tenderness. They married in July of 1999, and together they built a life that radiated warmth, laughter, and shared devotion to God.

Nan was an interior designer by trade, but truly, her real business was transformation. Rooms, relationships, holidays, Tuesday afternoons—she made everything more beautiful. Her clients became friends, and her friends became family. She saw the potential in spaces and people alike, and she had a rare gift for coaxing out the best in both.

Nan loved fiercely. Her children and grandchildren were her greatest pride and her constant fascination. She wanted to know everything—how school was going, what you were reading, who you were dating, what you were cooking. Sometimes her curiosity edged into investigative journalism, but always with love. She read books like lifelines, could quote scripture as well as any preacher, and watched shows as if they held secret insights for her loved ones. She wanted to share them all, because she wanted to help. It was her way of showing up.

She made a home that smelled like coffee and possibilities. Her kitchen was the heart of every gathering, the engine behind every holiday, and the stage for many a deep conversation, debate, or laugh-until-you-cry moment. She didn’t shy away from raised voices or strong opinions. She welcomed them, so long as they came with dessert.

She went by many names—Nan to most, Mother to a lucky few, but the name that stuck was Toots. She campaigned hard for “Grand Nan,” but “Toots” had a ring to it—and eventually, she wore it like a badge of honor. To us, she was The Toots—the matriarch, the heartbeat of the family, and the center of gravity in every room she entered.

She is survived by those who adored her and now miss her with an ache that will take time—and many shared cups of coffee—to soften. But if there’s one thing Nan would insist on, it’s this: carry on. Set the table. Use the fine china. Laugh loud. Be nosy. Show up. Love hard.

In other words, live like Nan.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

— 2 Timothy 4:7

Celebration of life services will be held at 11:00 am Monday, August 4, 2025 at Lakewood Baptist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to Save The Closet, www.savethecloset.com .

Memorial Park Riverside Chapel, 989 Riverside Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. 770-297-6200. For online condolences www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com