Jean Murphy Williams

Jean Murphy Williams, 98, passed away on August 20, 2019 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Jean was born in 1921 in Greenwood to Foy “Pat” and Lysbeth Fitch Murphy. She graduated from Fort Smith High School at age 16. In her senior year she was crowned Homecoming Queen and voted Most Popular Girl. For almost twenty years she wrote a delightful newsletter twice yearly for the class of 1938, keeping classmates in touch with Fort Smith and each other.

From 1960 to 1971, Jean’s summer weekends were spent at Lake Tenkiller where she didn’t know if she would be feeding her family of 4 or a drop-in group of 14 friends, but there was always enough to go around.

Jean had many happy, active years as a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was a faithful Christian, a loyal friend and loved her family with all her heart. As a member of Central Presbyterian Church for over75 years, she served as church secretary for 15 years and was a member of the Tracy Akins Sunday School Class, Presbyterian Women and the All Group. She is a former member of the Junior Civic League, the Women’s Auxiliary at the Methodist Nursing Home and worked in the Sebastian County Clerk’s office where she recorded the minutes of the Quorum Court minutes.

In her later years, she received home care from her loving and wonderful caregivers Brenda Borum, Alma Hunter, Gale Nix and Glenda Rogers.

Jean was a wonderful example of how to age with dignity, grace, laughter and love. She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband of 61 years, Henry “Little Brother” Williams and her brother, C.B. Murphy.

Surviving loved ones are her son, Bob Williams and his wife Lou Anne of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; a daughter Jan McMullin and her husband Blu of Fort Smith; grandson Ron Williams and his wife Tonya, and great grandchildren Zoey and Riley Williams of Atlanta, Texas.

A memorial graveside service will be 11:00am Monday, August26, 2019 at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers or donations, the family requests that friends perform an act of kindness in remembrance of Jean.

“No amount of time on Earth is long enough to share with those we love or to prepare our hearts for good-bye”. Author unknown

To leave an online memory, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com