Shirley Scott Williams' Obituary
Shirley Scott Williams died December 29, 2020 with her loving family by her side. She was born on December 19, 1941, in Carthage, Texas, to Lacy and Katie Scott. Shirley grew up on a small dairy farm with five amazing siblings and a loving community of extended family and peers who persevered through many challenges. At the family farm, Shirley quickly found the famous Scott mulberry tree where she spent countless hours reading and quietly attempting to avoid dairy work, feeling that books gave her a passport to the world.
After high school Shirley attended Stephen F Austin State University where she majored in English and history. Following her adventurous spirit and grabbing her passport, Shirley spent two years with the Peace Corps teaching English at Ozamiz City in the Philippines. During this time Shirley said that she learned to accept herself by learning to love another culture. Further, her service in the Peace Corps strengthened her desire to teach and to pass on her joy of learning to her students. Following her time with the Peace Corps, Shirley had teaching stops at Waimea High School in Kauai, Hawaii, Marshall High School, and Stephen F Austin before settling in on a 30+ year career teaching English and chairing the Longview High School English department. She found great joy in teaching and marveled that she was paid to do what she found most gratifying, which was reading and discussing great literary classics. Shirley said that she wanted to help students learn how learning can be a joyous lifelong process. She took great pride in being honored as the 2002 Region VII Secondary Teacher of the Year and was also the 2010 recipient of the Cornerstone Award through the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc. Shirley was also active with the LHS National Honor Society, the Academic Decathlon teams, and LUPUS, the LHS literary magazine that she treasured.
After her retirement, Shirley spent time traveling and volunteering with numerous Longview organizations, including the Gregg County Historical Museum, the Shakespeare Club, and the First United Methodist Church School for Little Children. She also strengthened her faith through her participation in the Chancel Choir and the Sacristy committee at FUMC. She loved traveling with the choir, her friends, and her family and was always ready for an adventure.
Shirley will be greatly missed by all whose lives she touched. She was preceded in death by her parents and loving husband, Arthur Wayne Williams, and two cherished brothers, Donald and Orville Scott. She is survived by her son Scott Williams and wife Angela of Dallas and her beloved three grandchildren, Brant, Morgan, and Landri Williams; her wonderful and loving sister, Wanda Gray; two amazing brothers, Lane and Mervin Scott; and several special nieces and nephews. The family would like to give a special thanks to her loving caregivers Alberta, Bettie, Crystal, and Reba, whose unwavering kindness and patience over the last six years gave Shirley the independence she desired. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be given to First United Methodist Church, the Longview ISD Foundation, Inc., or the Longview Animal Care & Adoption Center.
The memorial service for Shirley will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, January 4, at the sanctuary at First United Methodist Church. The family will have a visitation at Rader Funeral home at 4 PM on Sunday, January 3. Considering the COVID pandemic, the family asks that COVID regulations be strictly followed at both locations. Further, the service at First United Methodist Church may be live streamed at longviewfumc.org/resources/live-stream
William Blake – ‘But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in Eternity’s sunrise’
What’s your fondest memory of Shirley?
What’s a lesson you learned from Shirley?
Share a story where Shirley's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Shirley you’ll never forget.
How did Shirley make you smile?
