Troyce Elaine Williams

Troyce Elaine (Burleson) Williams was born January 15, 1943, to Troy and Lois Burleson in Fort Stockton, Texas. Troyce was the oldest of 8 children. Troyce grew up in west Texas helping raise all her siblings while her father worked in the oil fields and her mother worked in Troyce’s grandparent’s café and motel. Troyce later joined her mother as a waitress in the café. Here she learned the love of cooking while serving customers. Troyce met her husband, James Warren Williams, while working in the café in 1959.

James served in the Marines and after his discharge, began farming. They were married October 10, 1961. They made their home in Fort Stockton, Texas. Their two sons were born in Fort Stockton, Texas; Billy in 1963, and Burl in 1965. They later moved to Loving, New Mexico. Their daughter, Lisa, was born in the neighboring city of Carlsbad in 1971. Troyce spent her time running the home and raising the children and James crop farmed in alfalfa and cotton while maintaining a beef herd. James and Troyce moved their family to Missouri, just north of Mountain Grove, east of the Rayburn Store, in the winter of 1976, where they purchased and currently reside at the old Warren Hopkins place on highway 38. James began to beef farm and he and Troyce raised their family.

Troyce was a tiny woman in stature and yet huge in loving and caring for others. Troyce enjoyed cooking and made everything from scratch. If anyone went by their house, they would be fed. She would just start cooking and, my goodness, was it delicious. Mexican food was one of her specialties. Once a year, Troyce spent a week making homemade hot tamales and sharing them with family, neighbors and friends. Troyce was always shy and did not talk much, but we liked to say she spoke with her home cooked meals. We all knew we were loved. She canned each fall from their garden, not just 30-40 quarts, hundreds of jars of garden vegetables.

Troyce loved to walk the fields while James plowed looking for Indian artifacts. She would stay until she found at least one, but many days she found several. Troyce was an artist. She painted rocks. This sounds like a simple thing, but she would look for rocks and see something no one else could see. After painting the item, it became that animal or building. She had an amazing talent. Troyce loved to paint with her grandchildren and attempted to teach them her style. She also loved to crochet. She made many crocheted blankets for others over the years. Troyce suffered a stroke in 2006 and her health began to decline. She passed this life and left to be with her Lord September 17, 2019, at the age of 76 years, 8 months, and 3 days.

Troyce was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Johnny Burleson, and a grandson, Lance Williams.

Troyce is survived by her husband of fifty-eight years, James W. Williams of the home, a son, Billy Williams, a son, Burl Williams and daughter-in-law, Bridget Williams, all of Mountain Grove, a daughter, Lisa Williams McHugh and son-in-law, Brendon McHugh, of Claremore, Oklahoma, grandchildren, Chance Williams and wife, Elizabeth Wade Williams, Rance Williams, Courtney Williams, Logan Williams and Brandie Wilson, Evan Williams, McKenzie Williams Neuroth and husband, Chad Neuroth, Jameson McHugh, Breanne McHugh Piguet and husband, Andy Piguet, Will McHugh, Luke McHugh, Michael McHugh, and Nate McHugh, great-grandchildren, Lily Williams, Roxy Williams, Lance Williams, Cash Williams, Bentley Neuroth, Wyatt Neuroth, Braxton Wilson, Braelyn Wilson, Everly Williams, and Anderson Piguet, and two more great- grandchildren coming soon.