John Carlton Williams

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Baggerly Funeral Home in Edmond, Oklahoma, with interment to follow at Gracelawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the funeral home.

John was born on July 1, 1954, in Leslie, Arkansas, to VJ and Pauline Williams. He was the youngest of the family, arriving 13 years after his brother Doyle. As a young child, John—known as “Carlton”—moved with his family to California, where he made many cherished memories fishing with his father and attending Los Angeles Dodgers games. The family later returned to Clarksville, Arkansas, where John attended the College of the Ozarks for nearly four years before relocating to Oklahoma City with his mother following his father’s passing.

In 1977, John met Cheryl Kimball at Council Road Baptist Church in Bethany, Oklahoma. Realizing she sang in the choir, John—gifted with a beautiful voice—moved from bass to tenor so he could sit beside her. After a few months of persistence, he asked her out. On August 14, 1977, he cooked dinner for their first date before taking her to a Helen Reddy concert. Cheryl was quickly won over—not only by his cooking, but by the fact that he cleaned the kitchen afterward. By October, John proposed, and they were married on July 1, 1978.

Together, John and Cheryl built a life centered on faith, family, and hard work. They were blessed with two sons, JJ and Seth, and shared many meaningful family traditions, including annual road trips to Chicago Cubs games, Six Flags, and Texas Rangers games—always including at least one historical stop along the way. One especially memorable trip took them to Disney World. After their sons graduated from Edmond North High School and began families of their own, John and Cheryl continued to travel and enjoy life together.

John dedicated 32 years as a pressman in the press room at The Daily Oklahoman, retiring in December 2013. He also spent many years umpiring junior high and high school baseball, something he greatly enjoyed until his health prevented him from continuing. In retirement, John took pride in caring for his home in Edmond and was always willing to lend a helping hand.

John and Cheryl were faithful members of LifePoint Bible Church, where they both sang in the choir. Even just two weeks before his passing, John was at choir practice, singing with joy and enthusiasm about the Lord he loved. Today, we find comfort in knowing he is singing with the angels and rejoicing in Heaven.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Cheryl Williams of the home; his sons, John Jacob “JJ” Williams (Rhonda McNatt) of Foss, Oklahoma, and Seth Williams (Shelley) of Edmond, Oklahoma; and his five grandchildren: Ryan Williams (Samantha Tiger) of Oklahoma City, Skylar Williams of Norman, and Ashley Williams, Cara Williams, and Chase Haugeto, all of Edmond. He is also survived by his sister, Anne Vest of Melbourne, Arkansas, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. John also lovingly considered Cheryl’s sisters, Diann Wilson of Prague, Oklahoma, and Lydia Williams of Sanford, Florida, as his own.

He was preceded in death by his parents, VJ Williams and Pauline Williams Eubank, and his brothers, Richard Williams and Doyle Williams.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the members of LifePoint Bible Church for their love and support over the past several months during John’s illness and hospital stays.