Margaret “Yvonne” Williams

Margaret “Yvonne” Williams

1936-2021

“Yvonne,” as she was known to family and friends, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to James Idol and Mabel Horsup Idol April 20, 1936. She passed from this life July 31,2021. She and her future husband, James (“Jim”) Williams knew each from the first grade. However, they didn’t start dating until late in their senior year in high school. They married March 19, 1955, so theirs was a union of 66 years and four months.

By late 1955 husband Jim experienced a calling to the Methodist ministry. She accompanied him and helped as an able and devoted wife and mother of their children. It was an unexpected rerouting of their life journey together as he made his way through college and seminary. During Jim’s seminary years he found that his true vocation was that of a biblical scholar, so then it was on to graduate school where he earned his Ph.D. in 1966. Yvonne worked at Sears in that period in order to supplement his fellowship income. From there they moved to Syracuse, New York where he was appointed to the religion faculty of Syracuse University; he taught there for 32 years. Yvonne was active in academic spouse activities there and worked as an occupational therapist in a local nursing home for 15 years. In 1984 they moved 20 miles north of Syracuse to Phoenix, New York where they resided for 15 years. She loved the setting of their home in Phoenix, right on the Oswego River. She was active in the Phoenix Women’s Book Club and served one year as its president.

Yvonne and Jim moved to Edmond, Oklahoma after his retirement and became active members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (they had converted to the Catholic Church in the 1990s). They joined the church group known as Time Out, which meets every Wednesday. Yvonne had a special unofficial role in Time Out as she went from table to table greeting all who attended. She was an avid gardener who planted and cultivated three lovely flower gardens in the back yard of their Edmond home. She was known as a forthright, attractive woman who was always neat and well groomed, with lovely hair.

Yvonne is survived by her husband Jim, their daughter Katherine Williams of Edmond, son Michael of Wolcott, New York, and daughter Shanah Williams of Syracuse, New York., as well as four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Another child of theirs, Kathleen, passed way shortly after birth in 1956 and a grandson Kadeem, died in 2010.

Yvonne was a loving and faithful wife, one in whom her husband’s heart had trust (see Proverbs 31:11). She has been gathered into the arms of Our Heavenly Father and will be cherished in the memory of family and friends.

Visitation will be held from 3:00-8:00 p.m., Friday, August 6th at Matthews Funeral Home. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 7, 2021 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, OK. Interment will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at Woodland Memorial Park Cemetery in Sand Springs, OK.

2 thoughts on “Margaret “Yvonne” Williams”

  1. Sylvia Morelli

    A beautiful and well deserved tribute to a beloved friend. Our love to the Williams family, Rich and Sylvia Morelli

  2. Martha Fisher

    A beautiful tribute to a very dear friend. My heartfelt condolences to Jim and all the family.

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