Patricia Williams

Patricia Anne Williams, 86, of Dubuque, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family at Grand Meadows Senior Living in Asbury, Iowa. Her family will hold a celebration of life at a later date. Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Pat was born on April 1, 1939, in Creston, Iowa, the daughter of George and Leila Whitmarsh. She graduated from Drake University in Des Moines in 1961 and received her master's degree in music with emphasis in pipe organ performance in 1963. She taught music at Christian College (now Columbia College) in Columbia, Mo., and played the pipe organ for the Missouri Methodist Church in Columbia, where her future husband, Vince, sang in her choir.
She married Vincent Williams on Aug. 15, 1965, at First Congregational Church in Creston, and they lived in Columbia, Mo., and then Gainesville, Ga., before moving with their two sons to Dubuque in 1971, where Vince taught theater at Hempstead High School and Pat taught piano lessons. Pat was the longtime organist at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dubuque, where Vince sang in the choir. She taught piano for many years, and she taught music theory at the University of Dubuque. She held many piano recitals for her students at churches and nursing homes in Dubuque, as well as at the University of Dubuque, bringing the joy of music to all, especially during the holidays.
She was primary accompanist for the Dubuque Chorale, which was founded and directed by Dennis Williams. She and Vince traveled with the group to a number of church locations in the U.K., Europe and Russia, with Pat playing organ for accompaniment. When the group sang in a mass at the Vatican, Pat played the organ there as well. They enjoyed those foreign concerts performing with special friends, Dennis and Suzie Williams and Doug and Jean Cheever.
Pat was a very loving wife and mother and a devoted Nana, ensuring that her grandchildren had rich educational and musical experiences. She took them to the library when they were very young, volunteered at their schools, taught them piano as soon as they were old enough and provided them with voice and dance lessons. She shared her love of music throughout her life, and her grandchildren were the songs that played in her heart.
She is survived by her husband, Vince; her sons, Jonathan (Cindy) Williams, of Montgomery Village, Md., and Michael (Maryjo) Williams, of Asbury, Iowa, and their children, Michaela (Noah) Villarreal, of Chicago, Ally (Wil Barden) Williams, of Los Angeles, Cassie Williams, of Asbury, and Nate Williams, of Cedar Falls, Iowa; her stepdaughter, Melanie (Kent) Williams-Smotherman, of Omaha, Neb.; her stepgrandchildren, Nick (Ellen) Weddleton, of Omaha, and Sydney (Andrew Malik) Weddleton, of Lincoln, Neb.; her brother-in-law, David Hudson, of Coralville, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents, George and Leila Whitmarsh; parents-in-law, Wilbur and Florence Williams; her brother, Duane Whitmarsh; sisters-in-law, Kay Hudson and Glenna Whitmarsh; and brothers-in-law, Charles, Jim and Bob Williams.
The family would like to thank Grand Meadows, Oak Park Place, MercyOne Dubuque, Hospice of Dubuque and Paramount Ambulance for the care given to Pat.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Dubuque.