Mary Ann McWilliams (Plainview)

Mrs. McWilliams went to be with her Lord on September 9, 2019. She was 86 years old. Mary Ann was a lifelong Plainview resident, with the exception of five years (1953-1958) in which she lived on the farm that she owned with her husband, Joe H. McWilliams. She was a member of First Baptist Church during all her adult years of living in Plainview, was a teacher at Estacado Junior High School for 26 years, as well as being a wife and mother. She was born Mary Ann Gidney to Bill and Lois Gidney January 26, 1933 in Haskell, Texas. She graduated from Plainview High School and went on to attend Texas Tech University, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and was vice-president of Phi Upsilon Omega Home Economics Honor Society. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics in 1956 from Texas Tech University and later returned and received a Master’s Degree in 1972. She married Joe McWilliams on August 15, 1953. Mary Ann taught junior high home economics for many years, until she changed her teachingdiscipline to earth science. In order to be certified for teaching in earth science, she attended a program designed for teachers at Texas A&M University, where she studied earth and rock formations in the Big Bend area of Texas. She retired from teaching in 1996. Mary Ann was a fun and lively mother, wife, and friend, as well as being bright, interesting, and resourceful. She instilled in her children her belief in the value of higher education, and, also, was a role model as someone who thoroughly enjoyed learning. Most family vacations included frequent stops along the highway to get out of the car and read historical markers. She loved geology, often tutoring her own family members in earth science, whether they wanted to be or not! She had a great sense of humor, and, much to her family’s delight was often unintentionally funny. She took teasing well, allowing many opportunities for her family to enjoy unrestrained laughter at her expense. She was a talented seamstress, spending many hours making clothes for her daughter as she was growing up. She particularly enjoyed playing bridge and became especially fond of her Bridge Group friends! She worked in the public and church libraries, sold antiques and loved having garage sales. One particular garage sale was especially successful, as the proceeds were used for a trip for her and her husband, Joe, to go to Spain, with the First Baptist Church New Life Crusade in 1971. For many years, she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and The Historical-Genealogical Society. During this time, she did the research to prove that at least seven of her ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War. She did her research, along with her mother, long before genealogical resources were available on-line, so she did the work “the oldfashioned way” by traveling throughout Texas and the south, tracking down old family records. Mrs. McWilliams was a member of the Omega Delphin Study Club, was a Plainview City Panhellenic Officer, and was a member of the Plainview Junior Service League. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe (2003), and her son, John (2011). She is survived by her son, Bruce McWilliams, and his wife, Lori, of Allen, Texas, and by herdaughter, Katie Millis, and her husband, Jim, also of Allen, Texas. She leaves behind sixgrandchildren: Dane McWilliams (Brittany) of Haslet, Texas, Anna McWilliams of Allen,Texas, Joseph McWilliams of San Francisco, California; also, Caroline Alsup (Justin) of Boston,Mass., Sally Alsup of New Haven, CT., and Annie Alsup of Austin, Texas. She is leavingbehind one great-granddaughter, Reese McWilliams (Haslet, Texas). The funeral service will be held at 11 A.M. on Friday, September 13th, in the Family Life Chapel of First Baptist Church, Plainview. A visitation will be held on Thursday September 12, 2019 from 6-8 P.M. at Kornerstone Funeral Directors in Plainview. In honor of Mary Ann, donations may be made to: Community Foundation of West Texas, 6102 82nd St., Suite 8B, Lubbock, TX 79424, Re: Association of Texas Leaders for Education Scholarship.