Dr. R.O. (Ron) McWilliams, retired dentist and longtime resident of San Angelo, Texas, left us to join his heavenly father on October 5, 2018. He was married to Gloria Currie of San Angelo from 1948 to 1961. He was then married Clarice Cortese from 1968 until her death in 1998. He was remarried in 2001 to Dr. Peggy Giffen Savage of Lenoir City, Tennessee where they made their home until her death in 2011.
Ron is survived by his children, daughter Mickey Adams and husband Bill of San Angelo, son, Shannon McWilliams of Questa, New Mexico, daughter Shirley Harris and husband John of Bella Vista, Arkansas, the daughters of his second wife, Jo Lynn Jellison of Dallas, Texas, Suzanne Locke and husband Lanny of Cold Springs, Texas and daughter-in-law Judy McWilliams of Spur, Texas. He is survived also by the son and daughter of his wife Peggy, Patrick and Cindy of Lenoir City, Tennessee and by a large family of loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. He also leaves a brother, D.G. (Mac) McWilliams of Midland and a sister-in-law, Barbara McWilliams of Midland. He was preceded in death by his sons, Rev. Jim McWilliams and Currie McWilliams as well as his son-in-law, Ronnie Hurt. He was also preceded in death by five sisters and three brothers.
Ron graduated from San Angelo High School in 1939 and attended San Angelo Junior College before serving in the U.S. Navy from 1940 to 1949. His navy service took him from the Atlantic to the Pacific serving on the hospital ship USS Relief and the LST 446 in the Pacific. He was awarded a Silver Star for his action aboard the bombed and burning USS Kanawah in April of 1943. After returning from the war, he completed his dental studies at SMU in Dallas. He later joined the U.S. Air Force and graduated from the University of Texas Dental School in Houston in 1950. While in the Air Force, he practiced dentistry until retiring from active duty in 1953 when he started a private dental practice in San Angelo. Following a very successful dental practice career and having been very active in the San Angelo community, he retired from dentistry in 1984. He remained active in sports, business, ranching, and his church.
A memorial service will be held at 11 am Saturday, October 13 at the First Christian Church of San Angelo. Burial with full military rites will follow at Johnson’s Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens. Services are under the direction of Johnson’s Funeral Home.
Memorials are requested to be made to First Christian Church or your favorite charity.
