Amaris Cornelia Walden

On June 26,1977, in Jacksonville,Florida, our beloved Amaris Cornelia (Williams) Walden, a one of a kind soul, was born. Amaris was the eldest daughter of Elder Cornelius and Minister Dorothy Williams. To family and friends, she was affectionately known as "Ree," and to all of the children, she was enthusiastically known as "Auntie Ree!"

Amaris grew up in Copeland, a part of Gainesville, Florida, surrounded and cherished by an extensive family deeply rooted in love and an everlasting faith in God. She was often seen smiling, laughing, reading a book or filling the lives of those around her with love and kindness. She adored holidays and enjoyed decorating for them; her home— and in later years her home away from home-were always filled with a festive spirit. She relished family game nights and sought to dominate every one of them. She was the worst winner in the best possible way; never failing to rub it in your face while making you laugh at your own defeat.

Amaris was a devoted mother. She raised her children, Kaitlyn and Caleb, and "her summertime kiddos," nephews Joshua and Nijel, with the help of her parents and sisters. She took every chance she could to fill their lives with love, joy, and laughter. Her life's mission was for them to grow up feeling happy, immensely loved, and self-confident. This was a mission that extended to all her babies and we know how much she loved her babies; nieces, nephews, and cousins alike. She wanted to be the favorite aunt. Mission accomplished, girl!

Amaris was dedicated to being her best self and living life to its fullest. As a single mother, Amaris returned to school earning a bachelors in social work from Saint Leo University and a masters from Florida State University College of Social Work (FSU). Amaris held a social worker internship at Eastside Community Practice and a Counseling Internship at PACE Center for Girls. During her time at PACE, Amaris helped teen girls who'd experienced trauma reflect on and navigate their pain and challenges. Amaris was a frequent guest speaker for the Multicultural Mindfulness Class at the University of Florida's Center for Spirituality and Health. Under the guidance of Emi Lenes, PhD, Associate Professor at UF Amaris helped with organizing resources for black mental health and responded to and shared her wisdom with students at UF.

"Amaris was so helpful and supportive. Dependable, reliable, and trustworthy" - Emi Lenes, PhD, Associate Professor at UF Counseling and Wellness Center

Amaris lived her life with a love so deep it will resonate for generations to come. While her love and faith shined bright throughout the entirety of her life, it shined its brightest during her last few years. Even when her body refused to move, her spirit and faith in God's goodness refused to be quenched and her soul shined ever brighter for it. Amaris' faith and joyous spirit became a true reflection and living testimony of God's love to all who encountered her; be they family, friends, roommates, other residents, or her healthcare providers. Her presence truly impacted the lives of those around her.

After a long and hard fought battle with various health conditions Amaris departed this life and returned to God's loving embrace on Monday, November 3, 2025.

Amaris leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and faith, along with a lifetime of memories to be cherished by her loved ones... her children, Kaitlyn Walden, Caleb Walden, and Turbo Walden (the family dog); parents, Elder Cornelius and Minister Dorothy Williams; siblings, Christian "Chris" (Tori) Sawyer, Alesia (Hubert) Williams-Hunt, and Kaneka (Bobbylee) Mack; grandmother, Nazalee Hicks; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews (Auntie Ree's babies); lifelong friends, Erica Hooks, Tracy Patrick, and Johnetta Whitehead.

Amaris was truly a life so beautifully lived, a love so abundantly shared, a spirit that so brightly shined and a soul who will be so deeply missed.

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