Helen Williams, native of Buffalo and mother of Vanessa Williams, dies at 85

Helen Williams, a native of Buffalo and mother of singer and actress Vanessa Williams, has died three weeks after celebrating her 85th birthday.

Williams’ death from acute liver failure was announced by her daughter on social media. She died in London, where she had traveled to attend opening night of the musical The Devil Wears Prada, which stars Vanessa Williams in the title role of Miranda Priestly.

“On December 28th, the world lost a powerhouse, dynamo and force of nature packed into a 5ft frame,” Williams wrote in a moving Instagram post. “It’s impossible to describe all she meant to everyone because each person saw a different facet of her. Loyal friend to many, icy stares to a chosen few. We will miss it all.”

Described as “an impassioned advocate and activist for the arts, education, women’s rights, racial equality and social justice,” Helen Williams was born in Buffalo in 1939 and raised in the city’s Hickory Street neighborhood. According to her family, she was among a handful of students who integrated East High School.

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