Vincent Cardell Williams, Sr.

The Man: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15. Vincent Cardell Williams Sr. (Beanie) was born on October 8, 1953, to the late Ernest and Geneva Williams in Kansas City, Missouri. Beanie was the sixth of eleven children (right smack in the middle)! He graduated from East High School in 1971. His credentials include a BS Degree in Marketing/Business from Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO, and two master’s degrees from Trinity Theological Seminary. He also completed other career-related courses to continue and enhance his professional skill set. Beanie met and married Sallie Routt in December of 1974, and four beautiful blessings, their children, were entrusted to them. Beanie was a visionary regarding marriage, parenthood,
education, career advancement, personal appearance, and spiritual life.

He also loved music, running (he was a fourteen-time marathon finisher), playing sports and coaching youth. In college he pledged the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and was active in the DLAC chapter. In 2024 he received his fifty-year distinguished white coat and became a lifetime member. Beanie, as he is affectionately known, enjoyed sharing his passion for education, job/skill preparation, sports and sowing good seeds into other’s lives. Beanie’s career path began in Kansas City with Hallmark Cards, and he went on to enjoy a challenging and rewarding career in the Defense Industry which lasted more than 40 years. He began with TRW, continued with TASC, Northrup Grumman, and Engility, and closed that part of his career with SAIC as a Senior Systems Engineer. Beanie also had the magical opportunity to work for the one and only Walt Disney Company while residing in California! As a special project, he and his team were responsible for designing and scheduling the Epcot Center at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Beanie was always ready to help others in any way possible. His love and gift of gab would certainly require your time and attention, so you would be blessed to stay and listen. His words would always leave you with points to ponder.

The Ministry: Beanie was apprehended by our sovereign Lord Jesus at the age of 21 and has served the Lord for 50 years. As with anything Beanie did, he worked with determination and excellence, and he wholeheartedly surrendered his life to the will of God. He was licensed for ministry in 1976 under Pastor A. J. Rowden and began church planting with Pastor Jefferson Edwards and other pastors in the Kansas City area. When he relocated to the Los Angeles area in
1979, he continued ministry under Pastor David Schoch in Long Beach, CA. and Pastor Edward Haygood of Los Angeles, CA.

While in Kansas City, Beanie learned to play guitar which would be beneficial in his ministry with the youth, and at various adult senior living and nursing care facilities.

His love for new church plants and seeing believers grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus made his heart rejoice. He would always preach “let the new life manifest” and “you must be born again,” not as a command but as a foundational fact. When job advancement led him to the East Coast in 1991, his ministry continued under Pastor Enoch Butler where Beanie was ordained as a pastor. He later founded Faith Mission Church. His love of praise and worship was
infectious to all who met him. His preaching was passionate, powerful and lead people to hunger for God’s truth in His word. He believed that once you received God’s nature, you could see His rule and standard. His two master’s degrees in theological biblical studies and pastoral counseling benefitted him greatly in his ministry work.

Beanie was determined and focused on leaving a Godly legacy for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He believed that this was one of his most important tasks, and that he would be held accountable to God. He has certainly accomplished this task and has done this job well.

The Mission: When you reflect on Beanie’s life, note that he was truly set on a very specific mission, one that only he could do and would do for God. He believed that things never happen by chance but are ordained by the God who sees and knows our paths. His name Vincent, which means victorious conqueror, reminded him that the race is not given to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, and God is seeking obedience from the worshipper and the faithful who will endure to the end. His achievements in life, marriage, parenthood, career and ministry did not come without challenges, but his positive attitude and his faithfulness to God equipped him to face, and conquer any challenge with grace, truth and love. Yes, Vincent, (Beanie) fulfilled his
mission of introducing Christ to his children, grandchildren, siblings, and countless others through his many decades of pastoring, preaching, teaching, and mentoring. His gift of love for others was always in effect in deeds and in truth. Beanie’s mission was to keep reaching for the mark, to stay on course, and to exemplify God’s love because everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Anyone and everyone who knew Beanie or met him would leave his presence with a sense of having been touched by love, compassion, wisdom, greatness, and most of all, God’s presence. Mission: To manifest God’s love so that people will know that we are Christians by our love. Mission accepted and accomplished, Beanie! Well done!

Those who will continue to talk about, cherish and remember all the times spent with Beanie are: his wife Sallie Williams (married to him for 51 years), sons, Vincent Williams Jr., (Rosalind), David Williams, his favorite daughter (only) Janell Williams, seven grandchildren: Vincent Williams III, (Alyssa), Nathaniel Williams, Keisha Williams, Breanna Hufford-Williams,  La’Trell Gantt, Laila Gantt and LaShea Gantt, seven great-grandchildren: Zilayah, Bella, Brooklyn, Zayden, Xiamora, Amir and Reece. Ten siblings: Ernest Williams, Earl Williams, Shirley Freeman, Charles Williams, (Doilnella) Deborah Hall, Elroy Williams, (Deborah) Renee Williams, Shelia Scott, (Terrance), Katherine Williams and Todd Williams, (Lisa). Two very special aunts and one special uncle: Beatrice Taylor, and Sandra Watkins, (Wesley). A multitude of nephews, nieces, cousins, dear friends, his Faith Mission online Church family, and colleagues in the ministry. 
The legacy lives on.