Grace Lee Williams

Grace Lee Williams passed away on Sunday, September 15th, at age 82. She is survived by her sons Charles (Amanda) and Mark (Jennifer), and grandchildren Ellie and Charles. She was preceded in death by parents William Ferguson, and Grace Dyck Ferguson, husband Dr. H.C. Williams, and sister Judy Sims.
Grace grew up in and graduated high school from Hutchinson, Kansas. She then attended The University of Kansas and earned a B.S. in Education. She met H.C. (Cleon) in St. Louis on a trip with a friend, and they married shortly after Cleon's 1965 dental school graduation.
The U.S. Navy then whisked the couple off to Waukegan, Illinois, where they both worked while battling northern winters. Following Cleon's military service, they returned south to Heber Springs, Arkansas, and together built a successful dental practice from the ground up. They enjoyed the great outdoors together, near and far, with their two sons and continued that family tradition with their grandchildren.
During her career, Grace was an Elementary School Teacher, Dental Practice Manager, and American Heart Association Regional Director. She retired as the Assistant Volunteer Coordinator at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
Her passion was all things horse-related. She owned several horses over her lifetime and loved horseback riding. She competed alongside Cleon in cowboy shooting through the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) for almost 20 years, and made life-long friends. As her cowboy alias Ozark Red, she won championships in multiple states, as well as regional championships and at least one world championship in her category.
Grace loved to travel, and in addition to visiting virtually every state, she and Cleon traveled abroad to exciting destinations ranging from New Zealand to China.
An avid reader, Grace loved a good murder mystery, and read multiple books every week. After retiring, she volunteered at the Cleburne County library in Heber Spring where she looked forward to seeing the staff and interacting with patrons.
The memorial service on Saturday, September 28, at 3 p.m. is hosted by Olmstead Funeral Home in Heber Springs, Arkansas. Please make any donations to the Cleburne County Library, 1009 W. Main St., Heber Springs, AR 72543.