Zakiya Lee Williams was born on September 17, 1989, to Debita Bufford and Job Williams in Boston, Massachusetts. Zakiya attended and graduated from the Community Academy of Science and Health High School in 2009. Zakiya loved singing and dancing unto the Lord. She was outgoing and made friends easily from an early age.
Zakiya was known in life for being a very loving and caring daughter, sister, niece, aunt, and cousin to her close-knit family. She loved spending time with family and friends. She was lovingly nicknamed Kiya, Pooka, and Ladidadi. In her youth, she enjoyed music, science and had aspirations of traveling the world and visiting Spain. Zakiya was a prolific reader from childhood, and it was her favorite past time. She could be found hidden in her room with a book for hours. Zakiya loved history and keeping up with politics. Fishing, camping, and going to the beach were other hobbies which she enjoyed.
Zakiya grew to have varied interests, including working with youth and the culinary arts. She had begun to get backers for her hopes to one day open a center for Boston youth where she could help teach them gardening, cooking, and provide them with life mentoring. Zakiya always found a way to add a little comedy to challenging situations and made her family and friends feel better during tough times.
Zakiya leaves to cherish her memory, her loving mother and father, Debita Bufford and Job Williams Sr, brothers Job Jr, Charles, Alonzo Jr, and Nathaniel. Loving and supportive godparents Tyrone and Leanne Marshall, who were very influential in her life and she loved dearly. Paternal grandmother Jerline Williams, and preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Charles and Vervenia Bufford and brother Jevonne Pomare.
Zakiya leaves a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, loved ones, and friends to grieve her passing. Zakiya departed this life on September 16, 2020 and will be truly missed.