Leona N. Williams

     On the morning of April 8th, 2020, Leona “Ma” Williams passed away peacefully in her home after several weeks of treatment for cancer at the age of 78. Memorial contributions may be made to King's Harvest Pet Ministry in her memory.

     Born to Frank and Charlotte (Sohn) Neuman on November 17th, 1941, Ma was the youngest of six children. After her parents’ death around the age of 10, Ma was raised on the family farm by her siblings. She was destined to be a wild-child. She ran around with her older siblings and worked the fields on the farm every day until the day she graduated from Quincy Notre Dame Catholic High School in 1959. During her high school years she gave the school uniform a make-over by cutting the dresses shorter. She loved math, and was a pitcher for the Pepsicola Traveling Softball team. Ma then studied accounting at Gem City Business College until she married in 1961. She settled down in the town of Davenport, Iowa, had three children, and later divorced in 1972. She had worked at General Foods in Davenport, IA, and the I-80 Truckstop in Walcott, IA.

     After her divorce, Ma took on the role of both mom and dad, and she sure earned these titles. Raising her children on her own, she modeled how to be loyal, hardworking, independent, and generous. She knew how to have a good time and how to laugh through life’s struggles. She was opinionated, strong-willed, and wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. She was a ruthless card player, loved to gamble (aka “go to ‘church’”), play bingo, frequent garage sales, and create. She could sew, knit, crochet, and craft up anything. She taught her kids and grandkids everything she knew, and never showed impatience along the way. She’s never met a stranger; everyone was welcomed and treated as family. If her kids or grandkids loved you, she loved you, too. Every year on your birthday the best gift she gave was the sound of her one of a kind voice singing “Happy Birthday” over the phone, and she planned a birthday party for each family member without fail. She was a reliable friend, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, and neighbor. You could count on her to answer your call anytime, day or night. Without hesitation, she was there for every important moment in life; babies being born, weddings, doctor’s appointments, tragedies- every event, good or bad, big or small. Her humor, strength, warmth, and open arms will be missed by all who were lucky enough to know her.

     Ma is survived by her daughters; Karen (Jeff) Grunder of Wilton, IA and Ruth Williams of Davenport and her son Cecil "Beany" (Stacy) Williams of Davenport, 10 grandchildren; Jessica Hill, Ryan Lantau, Steve Hatfield, Kyle Williams, Camerron Lee, Shelby Tuthill, Gage Williams, Falloyn Grunder, Tyler Tuthill, Lakota Williams and many great-grandchildren, her aunt and uncle Bud and Joyce Sohn of Alabama and a special niece Betty (Bill) Abel of Missouri.

     She was preceded in death by her parents and 5 siblings.