Geraldine H. "Gerry" Williams

Geraldine Helen “Gerry” Williams was born December 30, 1934, in Claremore, Oklahoma, to Herschel Clay Washington and Jewell Dean Nickerson Washington. She died Friday, February 7, 2025, in Owasso, Oklahoma, at the age of 90 years. Gerry completed her secondary education in Claremore and graduated with the Claremore High School Class of 1952. It was during her time as a student at Claremore West Side Elementary School she was influenced by her wonderful teachers that she made up her mind she wanted to be a teacher. It was also during this time she attended First Baptist Church in Claremore along with her family. At the age of nine years old, she realized that even though she loved Jesus and trusted him in her heart, she needed to make a public decision. After talking with her mother, she went forward during the invitation the following Sunday and was baptized the following week. Throughout high school, Gerry worked evenings and weekends at Collins Drug Store. In the fall of 1952, she entered Oklahoma State University (then Oklahoma A & M College) with the goal of earning a degree in elementary education. During her four years of college, including summers, she was employed with the Student Loan Department in the president’s office. This not only afforded her financial assistance, but the opportunity to gain experience in working with people. It was during college that she met Fred Williams from Van Buren, Arkansas, who was studying to be an agriculture teacher. They were married in Claremore in January of 1956, just after completing requirements for their degrees. In March of 1956, Fred answered God’s call to the ministry. In April, Fred and Gerry made the trip to enroll him at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. While there, Gerry applied and was hired for a teaching job during the fall term. In 1957 and 1958, Fred pastored at First Baptist Church of Bennington, Oklahoma, on weekends. After Fred graduated, he and Gerry moved to Chelsea, Oklahoma, where Fred had been called to pastor First Baptist Church. After pastoring there for four years, Fred and Gerry moved to pastor Bethel Baptist Church in Owasso in July of 1964. After teaching kindergarten in Fort Worth for four years, Gerry taught kindergarten for six years in Owasso and served as kindergarten supervisor for five of those years. Gerry was very supportive of her husband in his role as a pastor. In 1971 they learned about the need for an English-speaking pastor in Brazil. As they had many times before, they began to pray for God’s direction. Soon they were appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board to serve as Missionary Associates in South Brazil. Fred and Gerry lived for eight years in Brasilia where they started and nurtured the International Baptist Church focusing on the English-speaking community of that new Capital City of Brazil. After returning to the United States in 1979 Fred and Gerry settled in Tulsa where she returned to the career she had always loved–teaching elementary students, until she retired at which time they returned to Owasso. During this time Gerry and Fred were also involved in planting Freedom Baptist Church (now known as Freedom Church). Gerry was musically gifted and was a talented oboe musician. She enjoyed a variety of pastimes including sewing, reading, and studying the Bible. She also enjoyed researching genealogy. Gerry will be missed and leaves behind a lifetime of love and memories with her family, which includes her husband, Fred L. Williams and daughters, Linda Curtis, Carla Jo Peitz, and Leslie Marie Holman and husband David. Nine Grandchildren Sophie Peitz Mitchell Peitz and wife Rebekah Dawnella Holman Haymaker and husband Arch Sarah Holman Shain and husband Stephen Rebekah Holman and husband Jash Bangdiwala Michelle Holman Perry Allen Shane Geant and wife Allison Ian Geant 18 Great Grandchildren and one Great-Great Grandchild Sister Judy Ann Washington Edwards She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Raymond Wayne Washington, Bradley Arliss Washington, Frederick Addison Washington and sister, Jewell Faye Washington Baker. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at Mowery Funeral Service in Owasso. Funeral service will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at the Mowery Funeral Service Chapel in Owasso with Pastor Deron Spoo officiating. Serving as casket bearers will be Jim Archer, Ted Vancuren, David Holman, Mitchell Peitz, Stephen Shain, and Arch Haymaker. Final resting place will be at Fairview Cemetery in Owasso. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gerry’s memory to Reading Partners Tulsa online at www.readingpartners.org, 918-949-1979. Arrangements and services were entrusted to Mowery Funeral Service of Owasso.

Geraldine H. "Gerry" Williams

December 30, 1934 - February 7, 2025