Joy M Williams

Joy LONGVIEW ? M Williams On Monday, April 17th, 2023, Joy Martha McDougall Williams went to be with our Lord and Savior. She was born on March 28, 1931, in Mason, Texas to Grover and Estella Hofmann McDougall. Among many good and gracious things about Joy were her smile and kind heart. She was easy going and truly lived up to her name, bringing "Joy" to all who knew her. Joy graduated from Thomas Jefferson HS in San Antonio. Joy married the love of her life, Charlie on September 1, 1951. They settled in the Rio Grande Valley to raise their growing family of three children. Joy was a devoted coach's wife who brought great passion as well as much fun and laughter supporting Charlie through numerous district, bi-district, regional and 2 state semi-final championships. Joy always loved dancing and owned her own dance studio teaching tap, jazz, and ballet up until the time her youngest child went to elementary school. While raising their 3 children, Joy went to Pan American College, now UT Pan American to earn her teaching degree. She taught elementary education in Pharr, McAllen, Alice, and Harlingen. On the weekends, you could find Joy and Charlie with their friends doing the jitterbug and dancing to country music. Joy loved playing bridge, enjoyed doing crafts, and loving on babies. Joy volunteered with Meals on Wheels for years and was a Stephen Minister at her Lutheran Church in San Antonio and in Longview.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff at Heartis Longview, PrimeCare Hospice of East Texas and the nurses and staff at Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview for their loving care of Joy in her later years and at the end of her life. Also, the family is grateful for Pastor Jeff Borgwardt, 1st Lutheran Church of Longview, for his love, devotion, and care for both Joy and Charlie as their Pastor and friend. Joy was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie, sister June, and son Robby. She is survived by her brother Kent (Henrietta) McDougall of San Antonio, son and daughter-in-law Randy and Karen Williams of Longview; daughter and son-in-law Ronnye and Chip Cowell of Houston; grandchildren Alison Williams, Valerie (Kevin) Becker, and Ryan (Kristen) Williams; step grandchildren Betsy (Brian) Young, Robby (Qiao) Cowell, and Thomas Cowell; and seven great grandchildren: Barron, Vera Joy, and Beau Becker, Patrick Williams, Aurelia, Chloe and Joseph Cowell.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview on April 20th. A funeral service was also held through Mason Funeral Home on Sunday, April 23 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mason where Joy was baptized and worshipped during her youth. Her burial took place at the family plot at Gooch Cemetery in Mason, next to her husband Charlie and son Robby.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to 1st Lutheran Church of Longview or Alzheimer's Research.