Natasha "Tasha" Lillian Williams—beloved daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend—passed away on Saturday, August 18. She was 44 years old.

She is survived by her father, Thomas Williams; stepfather Abdou Shiro; siblings Theon and Sean Williams, Sherell Williams-Shiro, Kenya Nicole, and sister-in-law Regina Ryan-Williams; aunt Barbara Kerner and uncle Paul Kerner; nieces Jasmine Ryan, Tianna Marie Ryan-Williams, and Mya Lee Stokes, nephews Gavin Williams, Daishawn Williams, and Kenyon Watford-Williams; and a host of cousins, as well as other relatives.

Tasha was born on January 17, 1974 in Brooklyn, New York to Carolyn Carswell and Thomas Williams. When she wasn't writing poetry and dope rhymes and making mischief with her cousin Chamaine and close friends, Tasha was looking to the future. She briefly attended Lincoln High School and later received her GED in 1993. In 1996, she was hired as a manager in the New York Transit Museum Gift Shop in downtown Brooklyn. A year later, she began working as an Associate Staff Analyst for New York City Transit in MetroCard Extended Sales.

That same year, Tasha enrolled part-time at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her passion for learning, social acumen and sheer determination kept her motivated as she juggled work, school, and the occasional family obligation. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from John Jay with her Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology in 2005. At the time of her death, she was in her second year studying Clinical Psychology at Capella University and working toward a Master of Science degree.

After 16 years at New York City Transit, Tasha left New York in the summer of 2012 and relocated to Hampton, Virginia to help care for her mother, Carolyn, who was recovering from heart surgery. Six months into her new residence, Tasha was hired as a pharmacy department manager at Walmart in Newport News. She briefly worked as training coordinator in the human resources department before she became an Asset Protection Associate. Three years later in 2016, she welcomed a new challenge and started work as a Corrections Officer with the Indian Creek Correctional Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Satisfied with her accomplishments but searching for a position that allowed her to be closer to home, Tasha joined the Maximus Inc. family in 2017 when the company opened their doors in Hampton where she worked as a MassHealth Supervisor until her death.

Tasha was an intelligent, loyal, honest, funny, and bright soul with a smile that could fill an entire room with joy. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her.