Catherine Williams

Catherine Williams, a devoted mother, dedicated educator, and lifelong champion for learning, passed away at the age of 96, leaving behind a profound legacy of resilience, sacrifice, and service. Born near the Gray Horse Reservation in Fairfax, Oklahoma, to Earnestine and Curtis Williams. Catherine was the second oldest of five children.

As a child, Catherine attended a one-room schoolhouse located on her parent’s property. Thoughher parents worked hard in manual jobs and lacked much formal education, they recognized the transformative power of knowledge and instilled a deep reverence for education and an unwavering commitment to achievement in their children. Inspired by their vision, Catherine excelled academically, graduating from high school at just 16 years old.

With incredible determination, Catherine balanced the demands of raising a growing family while relentlessly pursuing her higher education —returning to college after the birth of six of her seven children. Her devotion bore fruit in 1961 when she earned her degree from Oklahoma State University.

In 1963, Catherine and her husband, Vernon Williams, relocated from Pawnee, Oklahoma, to Wichita, Kansas, where Catherine embarked on a remarkable 34-year career teaching third grade with Wichita Public Schools (USD 259). Throughout her decades in the classroom, she shaped the lives of generations of young students and beginning teachers while continuing to elevate her own professional expertise:

• Oklahoma State University (1961): Bachelor of Arts in Education

• Wichita State University (1975): Master of Education

• Wichita State University: Specialist in Education focused on Educational Leadership and Administration.

Her journey from a rural one-room schoolhouse to raising seven children, earning advanced post-graduate degrees, and serving as a celebrated educational leader stands as a powerful testament to her strength, perseverance, and vision. She changed lives forever, and her impact will echo through the generations of family, students, and educators she inspired.

Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, Earnestine and Curtis Williams; her husband, Vernon Williams; her brothers, Cornelius Williams (Janette) and Cecil Williams (Velma); her brother-in-law, Jesse House; her children, Earnestine Y. Gates, Eugene D. Stevenson, Charles P. Johnson, and Pamela S. Bullock (Robert); her grandchildren, Vernadette C. Barnes and Ruben D. Clark.

She transitioned to her Heavenly home on August 4, 2026, leaving to cherish her memories: her sister, Mildred House; her brother, Curtis Williams (Jeannina); her daughters, Sherry Clark, Paula Williams-Thomas (Virgil), and Veronica Kwareh; her daughter-in-law, Jane Stevenson; (20) grandchildren, (36) great-grandchildren, (5) great-great-grandchildren; and a host of relatives and friends who will miss her dearly.