DeLora Katherine Williams died peacefully in her sleep in San Antonio, Texas on March 22, 2020 at the age of 92. DeLora was the daughter of Edward T. McGlasson Sr. and DeLora K. Hermann McGlasson. A proud Texan, DeLora was born on Texas Independence Day and lived in San Antonio most of her life.
When she was 16 years old her world fell apart as the brother she adored, Edward T. McGlasson Jr. was killed in WWII battle. Though she had a long and fulfilled life her children agree that she never fully got over losing him.
DeLora attended St. Mary’s Parochial School (for girls) in downtown San Antonio. Her graduation ceremony should have taken place in May 1946 however, there was a polio epidemic at the time. Local movie theaters, swimming pools and anything geared to young people were cancelled including DeLora's graduation ceremony. It’s ironic that 74 years later she won’t get a funeral ceremony because of another pandemic.
September 22, 1948 she married Curtis Raymond Williams. For a while they worked together on Security Hill at Kelly AFB. We grew up hearing stories that both of their jobs were so top secret they were not allowed to talk about it to anyone, even each other in case their car or home were bugged.
She never wanted to be a career woman. Her greatest desire was to be a Mom and when the kids came along, she happily settled into that role. Her and Curtis were wonderful parents who were always involved in the activities of their 3 children Jennifer, Alan and Brenda.
DeLora loved to help others and was a natural leader. She volunteered her time and often had leadership positions with American Legion Auxillary Bonnie Brae Unit #431, the Deckhands, which was the ladies version of the American Power Squadron, Methodist Hospital Bluebirds, St. Lukes Alter Society and many other clubs and organizations. In 1980 she was honored with Texas PTA Lifetime Membership for her work with the Baskin Elementary School PTA.
Curtis died of cancer in 1988. At the time of his death he was trying to find some of the men who had been on his ship, the USS Hudson DD#475 during WWII. Since the end of the war he had only kept in touch with one shipmate. This was before the Internet, so it was a difficult task. After his death, DeLora took up the cause and within a short amount of time had found several hundred of his shipmates including the ships Admiral, Rear Admiral Richard Pratt. The group started holding reunions in various cities around the country and even though she was a woman and never in the Navy, the men unanimously voted her in as President of the group. The Admiral was her Vice President. She got the biggest kick out of thinking how Curtis would have laughed to find out that the Admiral took orders from his wife!
Her Navy group continued meeting annually until 2008. By then almost all the men had either died or were too old to travel but the experience remained one of the things she was most proud of in her life.
DeLora continued to be active until about 3 years ago. She took pride in driving her friends to play Bingo at the Lions Club in Helotes, the Senior Center in Leon Valley or to the Catholic Church she loved so well, St. Lukes. These last few years dementia had slowly taken hold of her until the person that she had been was no longer there.
DeLora was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Raymond Williams; parents Edward T. and DeLora K. McGlasson; brother, Edward T. McGlasson Jr., and sister, Dorothy McGlasson Marthis. She is survived by her children: Jennifer Kitchen (Michael), Alan Williams (Beverly), and Brenda Funderburg (Scott); nephew Rick Marthis (Jana); grandchildren: Jerimy Tindal (Kristin), Rhonda Winfield (Corey), Nicholas Williams (Monica), Shelby Barringer (Kyle), and Seth Richardson as well as many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Due to COVID-19, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Research (https://ararf.org/) or St Luke’s Catholic Church (http://saintlukeparish.com/).
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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