Velma Gail (Smith) Williams

Velma Gail Williams, the daughter of the late Simon Andrew and Claira Nancy Irene (Wake) Smith, was born on January 19, 1931, in Douglas County, Missouri and passed away on May 20, 2014 in the Autumn Oaks Nursing Home in Mtn Grove, Missouri, at 83 years of age.
Velma grew up and attended school in Douglas County and was united in marriage to J.D. Williams on October 21, 1947 in Hardy, Arkansas .They were blessed with two children, Angelia Gail and Jay Ritchie.
They raised their family and made their home in the Vanzant Community for many years.
Velma was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. She loved her family very much and enjoyed spending time with them. She will be truly missed by those who knew and loved her.
Velma enjoyed being outdoors, working in her flowers and gardening. She also liked canning her produce each year.
Velma had a love for writing. She wrote many Christmas plays and was the author of the Hoot Owl Hollar column which ran in the Mtn Grove Journal for several years.

She loved singing and playing the guitar and was an avid yodeler. Her true love was singing gospel music with her husband as they ministered at revivals and singings in the surrounding communities.

Besides her parents, Velma was preceded in death by her husband: J.D. Williams on April 1, 2012; one grandson; Ryan Mckenzie Martin; one sister: Eunice Wheat; and by a brother-in-law: Pete Wheat.

She is survived by her children; Angelia Martin, and her husband, Richard, of Dora, Missouri; Ritchie Williams and his wife, Lora, of Vanzant, Missouri; seven grandchildren: Gregory Martin and his wife, Pepper, Cassidy Martin and his wife, Andrea, all of Dora, Missouri, Montana Williams, Sydnie Williams, Macey Williams, all of the family home, Chelsea Williams of West Plains, Missouri; six great-grandchildren; Tyler Martin, Gavin Martin, Jacob Martin, Isabelle Martin, all of Dora, Missouri, Dalton Martin and his wife, Kelsie, of Zanoni, Missouri, and Callie Cox of Ozark, Missouri, and one great-grandson on the way; one great-great-granddaughter: Addison Martin of Zanoni, Missouri; two sisters: Juanita Easter and her husband, Vandon, of Vanzant, Missouri, Jeneita Fish and her husband, Ross, of Mtn Grove, Missouri; two brothers: Earl Smith and his wife, Kathy, of Mtn Grove, Missouri, and Don Smith and his wife, Ann, of Vanzant, Missouri; four nephews; nine nieces; and many great nieces and nephews.


Our hearts are saddened with the loss of Velma. We are happy for her, because she is no longer in the earthly body that held her captive.


Visitation: Thursday, May 22nd from 6:00 PM 7:00 PM in the funeral home. Funeral Service: Friday, May 23, 2014 at 2:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel. Burial: Vanzant Cemetery Memorial Contributions: Vanzant Cemetery or The Gideons c/o the funeral home.