Nancy Jo Williams

A funeral service for Nancy Jo Williams, 85, of Gainesville, is set for 2:00 PM Saturday, July 1, 2023 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Adam Spore officiating.  Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery.  A visitation will be held at Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday.

Survivors:  husband Whitten Griff Williams, son Randal Whitten Williams and Wife Alisa of Glenn Heights, son Eric Curtis Williams and wife Sally of Lewisville, Son Bryan James Williams and significant other Stephanie Ward of Gainesville; Daughter Diana Elaine Robbins of Gainesville.  Grandchildren include April Pecora and husband Noah, Colt Williams and wife Stormy, Amber Williams and significant other Jerad Rauschuber, Coty Hurt, Courtney Giourgas and husband Casey, Krista Williams, Whitten A. Williams, Alexia Jenkins, Sam Hunter, Cortez Hunter and Tatum Jenkins. Nancy has eight great grandchildren.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Gladys English, sister Joyce Hill, brothers Jimmy English and John English and son-in law Bill Robbins.

Nancy was an energetic woman, perhaps best known for her fabulous cooking. Family and guests raved about her scrumptious meals and recipes perfect for every occasion.  She once was first prize winner in the Gainesville Daily Register annual recipe contest with her original recipe for Hungarian Steak Roll.  Her husband, children and grandchildren learned in her kitchen and carry on the tradition.

She has been beloved by her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  “Every weekend we went to Nana and Poppy’s because that’s where we wanted to be,” said Amber, expressing feelings similar to those in hers and the next generation of youngsters.  The Williams home was a place where there was acceptance, affection, great food and a lot of fun.

Nancy was a career woman. Her first job was as a switchboard operator for Southwestern Bell telephone.  She ran an in-home day care center in Gainesville and after her children were grown, she went to work at Peterbilt Motors in Denton where her last job before retirement was as a traffic specialist.

Nancy was born in Raton NM and grew up in Las Vegas NM.  She met her husband, Whitten Williams, a muscular West Virginian attending New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas on the GI Bill.  The 6-foot blonde and 5’10 redhead were married on Sept. 13, 1956, a Friday that in retrospect was a day of terrific good fortune for her immediate and extended family. All of her children were born in New Mexico.  The family moved to Gainesville in 1969 and Nancy’s parents followed a few years later.  Whitten worked at Cooke County College, now North Central Texas College until his retirement after a long career as an administrator.

Nancy lived most of her life with incredible physical energy and home life productivity. However, in her final years she was enfeebled as a result of back surgery gone wrong.  She maintained a cheerful, optimistic outlook through physical infirmities that would have embittered persons of lesser emotional strength.  She remained a bedrock of the family and delightful conversationalist until the very end.  She enlivened family gatherings and was all about bringing joy to others.