Gladys LaVerne Baird Williams

was 91 years old. She was born April 10, 1931 in Blackshear, GA, to the late Ralph Horace Baird

and Beulah Tippins Baird.

Gladys, or Glady as she was often affectionately called, is survived by her loving husband of

almost 69 years Hugh Crooks Williams; her daughter Carol Surles and son in law Bobby; her

grandchildren Cameran and her husband Richard and Taylor and his wife Laura; her sisters Sybil

Oglesby and Billie Baskin; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Gayle Chappell, her granddaughter

Chelle, her sister Edna Biggers, her brothers Buddy and Frank Baird and countless other loved

ones.

Everyone who knew Gladys knew her infectious smile and joyous energy. She was quick to laugh,

always sought to have a good time, and had a heart of service to others. She grew up on a cotton

farm in rural Georgia, the oldest of six siblings. She received a scholarship to the Georgia State

College for Women where she received an associate’s degree in business which took her to

Washington D.C. to work for the F.B.I. The stories you’ve heard are true – she did walk to work

with Harry Truman. The president wasn’t the only important man she’d meet in Washington. It

was during that time that she began working for a man named Al Stoughton who had a smart,

charming nephew who was a lieutenant in the army and exceedingly eligible.

About a year later, Glady and Hugh were married. Then came 2 daughters Gayle and Carol,

several moves (Meridian, Vicksburg, Shreveport, Houston, Atlanta, back to Houston), and

through it all Gladys stayed a pillar of light and love with both feet planted firmly on the ground.

During this time, she was a prolific artist, a loving mother to her daughters and a steadfast partner

to her husband. In Houston, they moved to Briargrove Park where they made lifelong friends

with their neighbors, whose children and grandchildren remain close friends to this day.

After relocating in Houston, Glady and Hugh began attending Second Baptist Church, where

Gladys taught Sunday school and volunteered with the Friends International program, teaching

English to Spanish speaking people. She enjoyed her service there so much, she decided to enroll

in the University of Houston, to go back to school and get her degree in Spanish to be able to

better help the people in the program.

Shortly after getting her degree, Gladys also studied to obtain her real estate brokerage license.

She enjoyed working as a real estate broker for the challenge and the opportunity to work with

people. With her kind and creative spirit, it’s easy to see how she was able to create an

environment in which people could envision a home.

She worked in real estate for several years until her granddaughter Chelle became ill, at which

time she lovingly and selflessly became caretaker for Chelle and later her other granddaughter

Cameran. Even during this difficult period in the lives of the Williams and Surles families, Gladys

remained a steadfast pillar for others to lean on, always a love and a light and a blessing to those

around her.

The late ‘80s continued to be difficult when Gladys was diagnosed with breast cancer. But Gladys

rose to the occasion with humor and heart as she always did and beat it. Her bout with cancer

turned her once again to endeavors in service, and she began volunteering with the organization

CanCare, where she provided comfort and support to others going through cancer. Here, she also

put her Spanish degree to use. She stayed with the organization for over 15 years – which

included one more bout with breast cancer and another with endometrial cancer. She beat them

both and poured those experiences back into the community both with CanCare and also with a

cancer patient support program at Second Baptist Church of which she was in charge.

During this time, she also worked with Emily Akin as a Consumer Advocate at KPRC Channel 2

and later Fox 26 News. She was dedicated to this and worked tirelessly help people across

Houston.

Gladys will be celebrated in the memories of her husband, her daughter, her grandchildren, her

neighbors, her countless friends, and all the people she helped and supported over the years.

She was funny and joyful, completely un-self conscious – always the first in a crazy costume or

elaborate decoration. She was creative and curious, the daughter of a Southern cotton farmer

who grew up, raised a family of her own, learned three languages, traveled the world, worked

with the president, and left so many lasting impressions on the many who knew and loved her.

She is loved. She is remembered. She will be missed.

A special thank you to her friend and caretaker Rosario Lopez for her love and care even in her

final days.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Winning Walk at Second Baptist Church or CanCare in

Gladys’s name.

A memorial service for Gladys will be held Wednesday, September 21, 2022 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the Williams family.