Barbara Jo Williamson

Graveside service for Barbara Jo Williamson (Mimi), age 94 of Mesquite, Texas will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at Reilly Springs Cemetery with Freddie Orr officiating.

Barbara Jo Williamson (Mimi) was born on July 13, 1931 to Wallace and Ellie Swindell in Reilly Springs, Texas. She grew up the oldest of three sisters in Reilly Springs, eventually moving to Sulphur Springs, where she graduated high school, top of her class. After graduating, she attended nursing school in Dallas, completing one of those years in Galveston, Texas, where she often visited, the last time with her daughter and grandchildren in November of 2021.

Her nursing career spanned 64 years. She served the Sulphur Springs Hospital as an overnight nurse, during which she met her husband, Billy Williamson, a Sulphur Springs police officer. They had two daughters, Joellyn and Janessa. After her overnight shifts, she transitioned as an RN at the Titus County Hospital, moved to Winnsboro to become the Director of Nursing while raising her two daughters. In 1965 Barbara moved into school nursing in Winnsboro ISD and served there until the family moved to Mesquite, Texas in 1970. She served as a school nurse in Mesquite ISD from 1970 to her retirement in 1998. She served in many elementary, middle, and high schools in Mesquite ISD, including Tosch Elementary where she served as the nurse to two of her grandchildren, Jennifer and Alyssa. After her retirement, she continued to serve Mesquite ISD as a substitute nurse and assisted in hearing and vision screenings until 2013.

Barbara loved her community and neighbors. She had many pets along the way, but her pekingese, Private and black cat, Molly were her most beloved, keeping her company in the most recent years. She was a member of the Second Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Billy Williamson; daughter, Joellyn Durbin, sister, Karen Rosentraub; and parents, Wallace and Ellie Swindell. She is survived by her daughter, Janessa Boyett (Bill); grandchildren, Jennifer Miller (Brandon), Alyssa Boyett-Collins (William), Jeff Brickhouse; great-grandchildren, Kayla Millar-Lopez (Christian), Tyler Millar, and Bryce Miller; her sister, Myrna Pickard; and many nieces and nephews.

She was a loving wife, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend. She passed away peacefully at Avalon Memory Care in Garland, Texas on August 24, 2025. A special thank you to Avalon for the kindness and patience they showed Barbara during this past year.