Dorothy G. Williams

Dorothy G. Williams, 95, died recently under the care of Hospice. Dorothy Jean was born in Cleveland, Ohio; the only child of Harold and Ruth Gildemeister. She graduated from Rocky River High School in 1946, and attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. In 1950 she married her childhood sweetheart, George Carr Williams. They both graduated in 1951 from Ohio State University.

Before they started a family, ‘Dottie’ was employed at National City Bank of Cleveland and Standard Oil of Ohio. In the span of five years all four of their children were born in their hometown of Rocky River, Ohio. They lived briefly in Pittsburgh, then in 1965 settled down in the quaint town of Barrington, Rhode Island, nestled along Narragansett Bay. With the two oldest in college and the two youngest still in high school, they relocated to Tampa, FL in 1974 when George invested in local businesses. In retirement they especially enjoyed their global travels and hosting friends and family at their condo on Longboat Key.

Dottie helped start a preschool in Rocky River, Ohio, in 1957 and served on PTA councils in Barrington, RI. She and George led the Barrington Chapter of AFS (American Field Service) and hosted exchange student Yasuhiro Kamikura from Tokyo, Japan with whom the family has maintained strong ties since 1969.

Dottie sang in the Barrington Presbyterian Church Choir, and for over 40 years sang in the chancel choir of Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church in Tampa. She served as an elder on the Session of Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church and was very involved with their Faith & Fiction Reading Group. She was proud to be a third-generation member of P.E.O. sisterhood; with memberships over the years in Chapter BG, Ohio; Chapter G, PA; Chapter A, RI; and Chapter T, FL.

Her beloved and devoted George died in 2023. She is survived by son Jeffrey Williams of Davis, CA and his wife Diana Strazdes; daughter Judy Williams of Tampa, FL; daughter Jan Williams Banker of Tampa, FL and her husband David Banker; and son Jim Williams of Tampa, FL and his wife Mary Jo Williams.

She is also survived by her grandchildren: Anthony Ricci and his wife Jennifer; Molly Ricci; Whitney Banker Jackson and her husband Matt Jackson; Mackenzie Banker; Kelsey Banker; Courtney Banker and her husband Andrew Lesmes; Blake Williams; Lauren Williams; and great grandchildren Micah and Catalina.

A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 am on Friday, November 22 at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, 3501 San Jose Street, Tampa, FL with the Rev. Jan Williams Banker and the Rev. Dr. John T. DeBevoise officiating. Reception following in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, P.E.O., or Metropolitan Ministries.