Williams' father worked on the Bibb County Courthouse, her mother sewed, and the family rented out the extra rooms of their house; nevertheless they were poor.
Despite excelling in school, Williams dropped out at the age of 15 to help her family make ends meet, eventually working full-time as a secretary at Macon law firm Harris, Harris, Russell and Weaver.
In 1942, Williams began working for the Georgia Bar Association as executive secretary in the organization's new permanent offices in Macon.
During her more than three decades with the bar, she climbed the organization's ranks and finally became executive director.
Williams oversaw massive growth in the organization, which in 1964 officially became the State Bar of Georgia.