April 29, 1924 – August 30, 2012

Peggy Hoover Williams, age 88, passed away on Thursday, August 30, 2012 in Gatesville.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at The First United Methodist Church of Gatesville. Burial will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Rock Church Cemetery on CR 4145 outside of Cranfills Gap, Texas.

Peggy was born on April 29, 1924, the only child of Dr. Wesley W. and Lula Clarice Grimland Hoover. The family moved to Hamilton, Texas in 1929. Peggy graduated there in 1941, salutatorian of her class. She attended The University of Texas at Austin as a Plan II student, and she was a member of Alpha Phi Sorority.

On April 22, 1944 she married Thomas Reed Williams in Hamilton, Texas. They lived in Gatesville throughout their married life of 64 years, except for time during World War II and the Korean War. Peggy was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the professional honorary society of women educators. She also was active in Gatesville city politics, serving three unopposed terms on the city council and served as mayor of Gatesville in 1974–1976. As mayor, she was instrumental in the expansion and relocation of the library. Peggy belonged to First United Methodist Church of Gatesville and co-organized “The Upper Room” Sunday school class. She was a direct descendent of the Norwegian pioneers who settled in Bosque County and was active in the Norwegian Society of Texas. Her special cause was the restoration of the historic Rock Church near Cranfills Gap.

Peggy was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Thomas Reed Williams and her parents.

She is survived by her two children: Wesley Reed Williams and wife, Joan, of San Antonio, and Anita Williams Maberry and husband, Dr. Robert Maberry, Jr., of Abilene; grandchildren: Carter Lyle Williams of Cologne, Germany, Kate Williams Lathrop, M.D. and husband, Matt, of San Antonio, Eric Maberry and wife, Liz, of Houston, and Elizabeth Maberry Smith and husband, Jay, of Dallas; great-grandchildren: Sophia Lathrop, Jack Wesley Lathrop, Truitt Thomas Maberry, Caroline Everly Maberry, Ford Hulen Smith, and Lucy Claire Smith.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 2600 E. Main, Gatesville, TX 76528 or The Rock Church Restoration Fund, P.O. Box 148, Cranfills Gap, TX 76637.