Virginia Vaughan Williams

Virginia Ruth Vaughan Williams, 92, passed away Sunday, October 2, 2011, at her home in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Virginia was born December 31, 1918 in Galveston, Texas to Farlance and Ashley P. Vaughan, Jr., a lifelong employee of Belo newspapers. The family moved to Dallas in the 1920s where Virginia graduated from Highland Park High School in 1936. A talented dancer, Virginia was an early student of Edith James and specialized in the Denis-Shawn approach to dance. She began teaching dance while still in high school and continued to do so in the years following her marriage to Lon Rayburn Williams, Sr. in 1941 and after the birth of their children. Virginia and Rayburn raised their family of four children in Grand Prairie and Arlington before retiring to the mountains of New Mexico in 1978. At the time of Rayburn’s death in 2008, they had celebrated 67 years of marriage. In addition to her husband, Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and, most recently, her brother, Ashley P. Vaughan III. She is survived by her son Lon R. Williams, Jr. and his wife Judy of Dallas; her daughters, Patricia Helpinstill of Fort Worth, Deborah McGurk of Dallas, and Stephanie Bodkin of Fort Worth; her sister, Dorothy Vaughan of Dallas; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren. The family is especially appreciative of the tireless efforts of granddaughter Kim Nichols who, along with Elizabeth Weber and Brandi Jamison, provided Virginia with loving and attentive home care during her final days. Visitation is 6 - 8 p.m., Friday, October 7 at the funeral home. Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 8, 2011 at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home with Father Herbert DeWees officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park.