Joy "Moppy" Williams' Obituary
On Monday, April 17th, 2023, heaven gained a new angel. Joy “Moppy” Martha McDougall Williams was born on March 28, 1931, in Mason, Texas to Grover and Estella Hofmann McDougall. Among the many good and gracious things about Joy were her smile and kind heart. She was easy going and truly lived up to her name bringing “Joy” to all who knew her. Joy graduated from Thomas Jefferson HS in San Antonio where she was a member of the Yemmes-see Sigma Sorority, Shakespeare Literary Society, and the Lasso Drill Team. Joy married the love of her life, Charlie, (whom she met at a Dairy Queen in Refugio, TX) on September 1, 1951. Joy and Charlie were dorm parents for Harris Hall at SWTSU while Charlie worked on his education degrees. They settled in the Rio Grande Valley to raise their growing family of three children. Joy was a devoted coach’s wife who brought great passion as well as much fun and laughter supporting Charlie through numerous district, bi-district, regional and 2 state semi-final football championships. Joy always loved dancing and owned her own dance studio teaching tap, jazz, and ballet up until the time her youngest child went to elementary school. While raising their 3 children, Joy went to Pan American College, now UT Pan American to earn her teaching degree. She taught elementary education in Pharr, McAllen, Alice, and Harlingen. On the weekends, you could find Joy and Charlie with their friends doing the jitterbug and dancing to country music. Even in recent months, she enjoyed swaying and moving to the music. Joy also loved playing bridge, enjoyed doing crafts and loving on babies. Joy volunteered with Meals on Wheels for years and was a Stephen Minister at her Lutheran Church in San Antonio and in Longview. Joy was a wonderful cook and passed down many recipes to her children and grandchildren.
The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff at Heartis Longview, PrimeCare Hospice, caretakers Dell, Nita and Allie, and the nurses and staff at Good Shepherd Hospital in Longview for their loving care of Joy in her later years and at the end of her life. Also, the family s grateful for Pastor Jeff Borgwardt, 1st Lutheran Church of Longview for his love, devotion and care for both Joy and Charlie as their Pastor and friend.
Joy was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie, sister June, and son Robby. She is survived by her brother Kent (Henrietta) McDougall of San Antonio, son and daughter-in-law Randy and Karen Williams of Longview; daughter and son-in-law Ronnye and Chip Cowell of Houston; grandchildren Alison Williams, Valerie (Kevin) Becker, and Ryan (Kristen) Williams; step grandchildren Betsy (Brian) Young, Robby (Qiao) Cowell, and Thomas Cowell; seven great grandchildren: Barron, Vera Joy, and Beau Becker, Patrick Williams, Aurelia, Chloe and Joseph Cowell; and numerous dear nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews throughout Texas.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview which will hold a memorial service at 4:00 pm on Thursday, April 20 followed by a visitation. A funeral will be held through Mason Funeral Home on Sunday, April 23 at 2:30pm at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mason where Joy was baptized and worshipped during her youth. Burial will take place at the family plot at Gooch Cemetery in Mason. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to 1st Lutheran Church of Longview or Alzheimer’s Research.
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