The Great Mossaic
David Williams provides ‘unsurpassed’ services
By Nelson A. King
Grenadian-born David Williams
prides himself as being a
“compassionate” funeral director
dedicated to helping families
celebrate the lives of their loved
ones and finding closure through
high-quality and individualized
funeral services.
Williams — the founder and
chief executive officer of David
Williams Funeral Services, Inc., a
family-owned business at 108-20
Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, Queens
— told Caribbean Life that his
business has been providing
“unsurpassed funeral services to
the American, Caribbean, South
American and African communities
for the past 30 years.
“I took some serious risk
and created long term vision,”
said Williams, who, on Jan. 12,
1991, established David Williams
Funeral Services at 667 Blake
Ave., Brooklyn, then incorporated
the business on June 7, 1992, at
its current location.
“At David Williams Funeral
Services, the team strives to deliver
a quality of service that is truly
unmatched,” added the Springfield
Gardens, Jamaica, Queens
resident. “Each funeral service is
a tribute to a life well lived.
“With that approach to business,
it is no surprise that the
collection of our funeral service
has found and maintained success,”
continued Williams, who
migrated to New York from Grenada
in July 1979.
He said David Williams Funeral
Services, Inc. provides a wide
range of services, such as but not
limited to, funeral pre-planning,
estate planning through attorneys,
grief counseling through
local churches, veteran’s assistance,
social service assistance,
life insurance assistance and live
streaming of funeral services.
Williams said areas of specialty
include bereavement counseling
and funeral arranging.
The fourth of five children
born to the late Anthony and
Veronica Williams of Happy Hill,
St. George’s, Grenada, Williams
attended the Happy Hill Primary
(elementary) School.
Afterwards, he attended the
St. John’s Christian Secondary
School (Shaper) for two years,
Caribbean L 6 ife, MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2021
then graduated from the Grenada
Boys Secondary School in 1975.
After graduation, Williams said
he migrated to New York to pursue
the American Dream, first
residing in Brooklyn, where he
worked at various jobs to support
himself.
In 1981, Williams said he married
his high school sweetheart,
Pauline.
After the birth of their first
child, Williams said he decided
to further his education in order
to provide “a more stable life” for
his family.
He said he enrolled at American
Academy Mc. Allister Institute,
a school of funeral directing,
while working full time. He
graduated from the program on
Dec.19, 1986 with an Associate of
Science degree.
Williams said he then began
his internship with an established
funeral home in Harlem and
became a licensed funeral director
in 1988. Three years later,
he established his own funeral
services.
The funeral director said educating
families has been among
the major challenges in operating
his business.
He, however, said that, “when
families understand the value
of a funeral service, they choose
products and services beyond the
basic package.
“The key is to bridge the gap
between what you know and what
they know,” Williams said.
“Our funeral service is more
important to our community
than you think,” he added. “We
have supported and continue to
play the role in the development
of our community.
Grenadian-born Most Worshipful District Grand Master David
Williams presents a scholarship award to Daniel Dorset
Andrew Roden, Jr. Photo by Nelson A. King