Alvernica Adams Williams was born on August 26,1945 in Chicago, IL to the late Luradine Adams Lowery and Robert W. Lowery, Sr. She was the oldest of nine children. During infancy, she moved to Cleveland, MS, to be raised by her maternal grandparents, Emma Jean Adams and James Princeton Adams, Sr., who unofficially adopted her as their daughter.

Alvernica accepted Christ at an early age under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. David Matthews. She was an active member of the church in her youth and sang in the children's choir. One of her fondest memories was attending the National Baptist Convention in Denver, CO as a delegate. In her young adult life, Alvernica was a member of the church's first gospel choir, where she sang soprano and lead the song, "I'll Let Nothing Separate Me from the Love of God." In later years, she joined the Missionary Society and the Mother Board where she faithfully served until she became ill.

Alvernica attended Cleveland Colored Consolidated Schools, including H. M. Nailor and East Side High School, where she was a cheerleader, crowned Ms. March of Dimes and later crowned Miss East Side in 1963.  After graduating from high  school, she attended Tougaloo College,  Coahoma Junior  College, and Mississippi  Valley  State  University,  where  she earned  a  Bachelor  of  Science degree in Education.  She pursued graduate studies at Delta State University in Cleveland, with a focus on Reading.

Alvernica was a classroom teacher.  Her  career  began  at  I.T.  Montgomery  Elementary  School  in Mound  Bayou, MS.  Then, she  taught  in  Bolivar County Public  School, District No. 4, at Pearman Elementary, Parks Elementary, and B.L. Bell Elementary. She later transferred to teach in Sunflower County Public  Schools, where  she retired.   Post retirement, she accepted a long-term substitute teacher opportunity in Shelby, MS.  Alvernica loved her students and wanted them to be their best. She  often used her personal  funds  to buy school supplies and have costumes made for school Christmas programs.

Alvernica was a Girl Scout leader for Troop 190 in Cleveland. She wanted to ensure that girls learned life skills, and she exposed them to cultural experiences including camp, meet-ups with other Girl Scout  troops,  and  trips  to  the  Indian  Mounds.  Under Alvernica's leadership, Troop 190 was recognized for selling the highest number of cookies in the area.

Alvernica was a member of a social club known as The Excelsorettes. Each year she looked forward to the club's annual African Ball and searched for the finest caftan for herself and dashiki for her husband and father to attend this cabaret-style event. In addition, she was a member of Bradley Chapter, No. 2, O.E.S, where she dutifully served as Matron after her mother, Emma Jean Adams, stepped down.  She was also a member of Naomi Court, #558 of the Heroines of Jericho in Cleveland, MS.

On August 31, 1975, Alvernica married the late John L. Peterson, whom she met during graduate school.  Then in 1982, she  married  the  late  Rev.  Lee  Wallace  Williams,  a  former  high  school classmate who sang in high school with her and later worked together at B.L. Bell Elementary School.

Alvernica leaves to mourn her passing her only child, Valerie Adams Baker and beloved son-in- law, Jesse L. Baker, II of Stamford, CT; two sisters, Callie Thompson and Emma Jean Stigger of Chicago, IL; two brothers, Dr. James P. Adams, Jr. (Grace) of Lexington, KY and Cedric Lowery of Chicago, IL; one sister-in-law, Valerie Lowery (Douglas); two aunts, Evelyn Averhart of Atlanta, GA, and Delores Weatherspoon of Cleveland, MS; two special first cousins, Nelda Joyce Coleman of Chicago, IL and Larry Johnson of Madison, WI; a special friend, Lee Henry Carter of Chicago, IL; a host of nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.