Vera I. (Messick) WILLIAMS

MESSICK, WILLIAMS, BROADSTONE, BRASS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:46

March 12, 1910 --- June 21, 2000

Vera I. Williams, the daughter of Charles A. and Mary Belle (Broadstone) Messick, was born March 12, 1910 in Galt, Iowa. She was a graduate of Clarion High School in 1927. In 1928, Vera moved to Newton, Iowa.

On August 1, 1931, Vera was united in marriage to Russell Williams, Jr. in Unionville, Missouri They made their home in Newton until 1948, when they moved to Hampton, Iowa. Vera was owner/operator of the Hi-Way Inn for a short time in Hampton, she then worked for the Maytag Company there. Vera moved back to Newton in 1986. In both communities she was very active in the churches she attended, teaching Sunday School, and as Organist, Treasurer, and Women's President. When Vera could no longer attend church in person, she began to listen to the First United Methodist Church radio broadcasts, and held and taught Bible studies in her home and was prepared to continue after Christmas, when she had the stroke in January. She was an avid reader, reading many books form the Public Library and most of the fiction books in the First United Methodist Church Library.

Vera died Wednesday, June 21, 2000 in Newton. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Russell in 1982; two granddaughters; and a brother and a sister. Those left to honor Vera's memory are her two sons and daughters-in-law, Donald E. and Leona of Lake Ozark, Missouri; James L. and Jean Ann of Des Moines, Iowa; daughter and son-in-law, Ilene and Veryl Brass of Newton; her nine grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren; and her two brothers, Lewis A. Messick of San Antonio, Texas and Ernest M. Messick of Des Moines.