Ovid K. (Kelly) Williams

Funeral services for Ovid K. (Kelly) Williams, 89, took place Thursday, Aug. 16 at Bowers Funeral Home in Teague. Bro. Mark Abshier officiated. Interment followed the services at Union Cemetery near Freestone. Williams passed away Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, at the Groesbeck L.T.C. He was born in Personville July 13, 1929, and grew up in the Fair Oaks community.He attended the Fair Oaks School and graduated with the class of 1946, at the age of sixteen. After high school, he attended Sam Houston Teachers College and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Husbandry in 1949. He was a member of the Farm Boys at Sam Houston. Williams taught Ag Science and Woodshop at Karnes City High School for a year before enlisting in the U. S. Air Force in 1950. He was based at Westover A.F.B. in Chicopee Falls, Mass. and attended special forces training at the University of Georgia. Williams obtained the rank of staff sargent and was in charge of inspecting the food supply for all forces in Korea. He married Esther Ora Abshier Aug. 15, 1953, in Houston at the Fairbanks Baptist Church. He received his honorable discharge in December 1954. After his Air Force service, Williams worked on the family farm in Fair Oaks then went to work for the Texas Highway Department in Limestone Co. in 1956 and later transferred to Waco in 1964 and became the lab supervisor for TxDOT until 1992 when he retired. Williams enjoyed traveling and loved to visit the mountains. His favorite vacations were to the Swiss Alps, the Alberta, Canada Rocky Mountains, and Alaska. He also enjoyed fishing and wood working and built numerous pieces of furniture. He loved antique airplanes, automobiles, and trains. Williams was a Baptist. He was baptized in the 1960’s at First Baptist Church in Mexia and was a member of Oaklawn Baptist Church in Bellmead. He is survived by his wife of almost sixty-five years, Esther Williams of Magnolia; one son, Monte Williams of Houston; one daughter, Beverly DeCoster of Magnolia; two grandchildren, Kelly DeCoster Russell and husband Matthan and Dana DeCoster and wife Shay; Jamie DeCoster; three great-grandchildren, Loren DeCoster, Emalene Russell, and Wesley Russell; one sister, Jean Simms of Gainesville, Florida; one brother, Jerry Williams of Groesbeck; five sisters-in-law, Billie Williams of Lubbock, Claudette Williams of San Antonio, Janet Abshier of Fredericksburg, Sally Abshier of Donie, and Jean Harding of Bartlett, Tenn; brother-in-law, Donald Sims of Groesbeck; a special cousin, Donnie Turner of Teague; numerous other relatives and friends. Williams was preceded in death by an infant son, Andrew Johnathan Williams; his parents, Elbert and Lena Williams; one granddaughter, Brie DeCoster; two sisters, Jane Williams and Mary Sims; five brothers, Carl Williams, Paul Williams, Gaylon Clovis (Cody) Williams, Bobby Williams, and Elbert Williams, Jr.; one daughter-in- law, Kathy Williams; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charlie and Ora Abshier; one sister-in-law, Betty Abshier; seven brothers-in-law, James Abshier, J. D. Abshier, Joel Abshier, J. T. Abshier, George Abshier, Ralph Abshier, and Hendon Simms. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the charity of your choice. Visit bowersfuneralhome.net to sign the memorial guestbook or to leave a message for the family.