Carrie B. Williams

Carrie Bernice (Melick) Williams, age 96, passed away November 3rd after a short illness. Carrie was born on May 5th, 1918 in West Liberty, Iowa. She was the third child born to Henry Barkalow Melick and Helen Catherine (Stahl) Melick. After graduating high school, from West Liberty, she attended and graduated from Eureka College in Illinois. Carrie went on to attend Drake University where she met her sweet heart of 73 years Donald Williams of Corning, Iowa. After graduating from Drake in 1939, with a B.S. in English, she taught English and Social Studies at Williamson Elementary School in Williamson, Iowa. After a brief teaching career she married Donald Earl Williams on October 25th, 1941 at the Christian Church in West Liberty, Iowa. Soon after their marriage Don was called into the service with the Army where he served his country during WWII. They welcomed their first daughter, Carol Ann, on January 21st, 1943 in Iowa City, Iowa. Their 2nd daughter, Helen Cameron, was born on July 13th, 1945 in Fairfield, Iowa. After four years of service to his country during WWII the family was reunited and moved to Clarinda, Iowa. There they owned and operated a gas station. In 1951, the family acquired the Gambles Hardware Store in Corning and moved to their family home on Grove Avenue where they lived for 63 years.
Carrie was a wonderful homemaker and mother, and she was often seen helping Don at the hardware store. As a member of the United Methodist Church in Corning, she was very active in many church circles and also a volunteer with the Rose Ann’s Hospital Auxiliary. In her free time Carrie was an avid reader where she was often found with a cat in her lap enjoying a great book. Many of her families’ fondest memories are of Carrie reading them stories. Carrie was a kid at heart and often found playing cards and games with her children and grand children or enjoying crafts and scrapbooking. Some of her hobbies included knitting and embroidery. Don and Carrie also loved meeting new people and going on family trips to Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, New York and other various destinations. When she wasn’t indoors, Carrie was often in her garden where she had a passion for flowers.
Proceeding Carrie in death are her parents Henry Helen Melick, sister Marg Ruth (Melick) Martin and her son-in-law, Philip B. Knight.
Carrie is survived by her husband of 73 years, Donald Williams; two siblings: Marion Louise (Melick) Motis, and H. Filmore Melick; her two children: Carol Ann (husband Robert) Cline, and Helen Knight; seven grandchildren: Cindy (Kendall) Roberts; Wendy (Gary) Young; Chris (Karen) Cline, Patrick Knight, Sean Knight (Angie), Kerry Knight, Anne (Tyson) Greenwalt; and 12 great-grandchildren: Nick Young, Kellen Roberts, Ghie Dutch, Spencer Dutch, Darby Young, Taylor Young, Tristan Greenwalt, Julia Knight, Emily Knight, Mason Greenwalt, Jessica Knight, and Erica Knight.