Mary Elizabeth "Lib" Williams Haywood, 90, of Fairmont, NC, passed away peacefully on Thursday August 6, 2026.

Lib was born on September 1, 1935, in Fairmont to the late Lawrence Edward Williams and Dora Shepherd Williams. Raised on her family's farm, she learned early the values of hard work, determination, faithfulness, and caring for others—values that remained evident throughout her life. She attended school in Fairmont and made the community her lifelong home.

Lib was married to the late Floyd Vance Haywood. Together, they built a life centered on family, faith, and service to their community.

Throughout her working life, Lib was known for her remarkable energy, attention to detail, and dedication. She worked as a clerk and bookkeeper for the Red & White grocery store and later became the owner and operator of Haywood's Convenience Store. For many years, the store gave her another opportunity to know, serve, and care for the people of Fairmont. She retired in 1998, but retirement did not suit her energetic and determined spirit for long. Six months later, she became curator of the Border Belt Farmers Museum in Fairmont, where she served faithfully until November 2025.

Lib loved Fairmont, and Fairmont loved her in return. She poured herself into the life of her community through the Fairmont Woman's Club, the Border Belt Farmers Museum, Woodmen of the World, and Five Forks Baptist Church.

A founding member of Five Forks Baptist Church, Lib was deeply devoted to her faith and to the work of the church. She coordinated and organized many church events and faithfully supported its ministries, including mission trips and disaster-relief efforts. Her faith was not simply something she spoke about; it was reflected in the dependable and generous way she lived. To her family, she was one of the most faithful people they had ever known.

Energetic, full of life, and always determined, Lib was rarely still for long. She loved tending her yard and flowers and possessed both a remarkable green thumb and an attention to detail like no other. Friends and neighbors often saw her outside working in the yard or burning trash, and those familiar sights became part of the fabric of the neighborhood.

Lib also treasured the friendships she enjoyed throughout the Fairmont community. She especially loved spending time with friends at McDonald's, First Bank, and Angie's Hair Salon. She appreciated a lighthearted joke, good conversation, and the familiar faces that made her hometown special.

Her family knew that whenever they visited, something would be cooking. Lib loved a good home-cooked meal, but even more, she loved gathering and caring for the people around her. Her love could sometimes be tough and direct, but it was always steadfast, protective, and deeply devoted. Through both her words and her example, she taught her family to love one another and care for each other.

In addition to her parents, Lib was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Vance Haywood; her sister, Isolene Faulk; and her brother, Joseph Lawrence Williams.

She is survived by her son, Vann Haywood and wife, Mary Ann; four grandchildren, Vann Haywood Jr., Ashley Haywood, Casey Haywood, and Brandon Haywood; six great-grandchildren, Lucus, Jacob (Kenzie), Shalyn, Dreamon, Mason and Mikaylah; two great-great-grandchildren, Walker and Ledger and five nieces, Sarah, Debbie, Libby, Erin, and Kimberly. Her family, friends, church, and community will carry forward the love, faithfulness, and devotion that defined her life.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, August 9, 2026 from 1pm until 2pm at Five Forks Baptist Church, 1880 NC Hwy. 904 Fairmont. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow at 2pm, officiated by the Rev. George Harrison. Burial will follow at Williams Family Cemetery, 933 Gaddy Road, Fairmont.

Flowers are welcome, or memorial contributions may be made to the Fairmont Woman's Club or Five Forks Baptist Church.