Vera Belle (Wing) Williams

It was Wednesday morning, May 30, 2018, that Vera Belle (Wing) Williams left the bonds of this life into everlasting life with Jesus. She was 88.

Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 2, 2018, at First United Methodist Church in Pampa, with Rev. Ruby Moultrie officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery, under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

It was on Tuesday, a hot summer day out on the farm in Oklahoma, that August 13^th when Vera was born to George and Valena Wing. (Only a couple of months before the 1929 crash of Wall Street, Vera would later often joke that she caused the crash.) She was born into a family with 5 older brothers and sisters: Marie, Lester, Leonard, Mildred, and Evelyn. When she was big enough, she joined her brothers and sisters out in the fields, towing long burlap bags, picking cotton on the farm. Growing up during the depression of the 1930’s was hard, but folks in that time got by, with God’s grace.

Eventually, two more brothers came along: George, Jr. and Clarence. They all grew up in a one room house, which was once a school building that George had moved to the farm. You could hear the whistle through the house, when the wind blew over the plains. Vera remembered some of those dark, dusty days when clouds of dirt blew in from the Texas panhandle during the dust bowl days. There was no plumbing or electricity in the house, so water had to be carried from the well and cooking was done on a wood burning stove, and it was a cold trip to the outhouse in the winter. The kids shared bathwater that was heated and poured into a large wash tub, kids going youngest to oldest.

Vera attended school in Strong City, and after graduating high school in 1947, moved to live with her sister, Evelyn and brother-in-law ‘Kis’ Kisner, in Perryton, Texas, where she got a job at the court house, handling and filing land abstracts for the county. It was only a few months later, when she met the man who would become the love of her life, Irvin Williams. The first time they went on a date, neither initially wanted to go. It was a blind date set up by friends, but Vera only wanted to go out with Irvin, and Irvin didn’t want to go out with anyone else besides Vera. After dating for six months, Irvin and Vera were married by Judge Shanks in his house on June 18, 1948.

After a while in Perryton and a brief stay in Meade, Kansas, Irvin and Vera moved to Pampa in 1953. Vera went to work for Cabot Corporation in the Personnel Department (what we now call Human Resources) as a secretary (now called an administrative assistant). In 1955, Vera and Irvin moved into the house they had built on Faulkner Street. This was “home” for her and her family to live and gather. She quit work for a few years beginning in 1956, when Greg was born, and in December 1959, Danny was born.

She went back to work with Cabot in 1962 until she retired in 1977.

Vera took up sporting activities to be active with Irvin, as he loved sports. She bowled with him in the Celanese bowling league. Learning to play golf, Vera would chip in the back yard and joined the women’s golf league at Celanese. The whole family enjoyed bowling and especially playing golf together. Many wonderful family times and memories were made at PamCel golf course and at the bowling alley. She also loved the special times the family shared during summer vacations, especially time spent at Cabot Ranch, in Stonewall, Colorado.

Vera enjoyed her family life very much, but even more important to her, was her relationship with Jesus Christ. She was always active in church as a young girl and throughout her life, serving in various capacities. She and Irvin joined the First Methodist Church when they moved to Pampa. She sang alto in the choir for many years, and started teaching Sunday school, assisting Mrs. Gill in the third grade Sunday school class in 1960, eventually becoming the third grade teacher for several years after Mrs. Gill. Later, she would become a member of the W.W. Harrah Sunday school class. Her later years included teaching Sunday school once again. Besides being active at First United Methodist Church, Vera became very active in Bible Study Fellowship for several years, and also volunteered at the Pampa Pregnancy Support Center.

Through the years, Vera has enjoyed friendships with so very many wonderful people in Pampa. Most of these friendships are from association with people at Celanese, Cabot, First United Methodist Church, and other community organizations. She always loved to serve people. She enjoyed cooking and baking, and was very good in the kitchen. You were always welcome in her home, and if you were lucky enough to be there at the right time, you might get a fresh cinnamon roll or piece of pie.

If you know Vera, it is very likely you were loved by her. She wasn’t perfect, but deep inside, she wanted to be. Those who are very close in her circle of friends know how determined and sometimes set in her ways, but if given the opportunity, she would try her best, either by word or deed, to share the love of Christ. No she wasn’t perfect, but now, in Christ and by the Holy Spirit, she is made perfect and loved by our Heavenly Father.

Vera was preceded in death by her dad, George Wing, her mother, Valena (Crites) Wing, her brothers and sisters: Lester, Mildred, Leonard, Evelyn, Clarence, and Marie, and her beloved husband Irvin Williams.

Vera Williams is loved by her family and survived by the following: two sons: Greg Williams and his wife Virginia of Burleson, Texas, and Danny Williams and his wife Caroline of Tulsa, Oklahoma; 6 Grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren: Meghan Wyatt and her husband, Sean of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and their children Jack, Caroline, and William; Jacob Williams and his wife, Taylor of Burleson, Texas, and their children Ephraim, Jane, (little girl due in August – name to be determined); Michael Williams of Tulsa Oklahoma; John Williams of Fort Worth, Texas; Matthew Williams of Fort Worth, Texas; Julie Williams of Burleson, Texas; a brother: George, Jr. Wing; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1981, Pampa, TX 79066; Gray Cares, 511 N. Hobart, Pampa, TX 79065; Pregnancy Support Center, 210 N. Ward, Pampa, TX 79065; Community Hospice of Texas, 6100 Western Place, Suite 105, Fort Worth, TX 76107; or your own worthy cause.

The family will receive friends from 6:30-7:30 PM Friday, June 1, 2018, at Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.