Vanessa Williams’ mother Helen dies days after watching her perform in London
In a post on Instagram announcing her death, Williams said her mother died due to complications from acute liver failure at The London Clinic.
Singer and actress Vanessa Williams has paid tribute to her “loyal” mother Helen Williams following her death at the age of 85, just days after she travelled to watch her daughter in The Devil Wears Prada in London.
The 61-year-old said her mother died “surrounded by family and friends” just 20 days after celebrating her birthday at the performance of the musical at the Dominion Theatre, which sees Williams play fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly.
In a post on Instagram announcing her death, Williams said her mother died due to complications from acute liver failure at The London Clinic.
She said: “On December 28, the world lost a powerhouse, dynamo and force of nature packed into a 5ft frame.
“Our mom, Helen Williams, aka Gaga to many, took her final bow in London 20 days after celebrating her 85th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
“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.”
Following her mother’s death, The Devil Wears Prada musical confirmed Williams will be taking a break from the show from January 8 to January 15, when she will be replaced by Debbie Kurup, before Williams returns on January 16.
In her post, Williams, who was the first black woman to win the Miss America title, said her mother had worked as a vocal music teacher for more than 40 years in the Ossining and Manhattanville school districts in the US.
Alongside her mother, Williams wrote a book called You Have No Idea: A Famous Daughter, Her Problems, Her No-Nonsense Mother, which sees the star detail her upbringing, rise to fame and personal struggles.
Helen Williams was married to Milton Williams Jr, who was also a music teacher, for 45 years before his death from pancreatitis in January 2006.
She is also the mother of Williams’ brother, US actor Chris Williams, who appeared in CSI, The Shield and Weeds, and is also survived by her four grandchildren, a great-grandson and a brother, Federick Tinch.
Announcing her mother’s death, Williams said her family was planning a private memorial service in January.
Born in New York in 1963, Williams is known for her music career, which saw her release nine studio albums and be nominated for 11 Grammys, and her acting career, which has seen her appear in the likes of Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives and 666 Park Avenue.
She won her Miss America crown in 1983 but was forced to hand it back after Penthouse magazine published nude photographs of her, but in 2016 she was offered a public apology during the Miss America pageant.
