Mary Rulene Williams

Rulene went through 12th grade in Coal Hill and then in 1940 decided to make the move to Austin TX to attend the Nixon-Clay Business College. Not long after, Rulene met Chester N. Williams in January of 1942. They were wed just a few weeks later on February 14, 1942. By April of 1943 she had given birth to their first child, Norman Ray Williams and in June of 1948 along came her second child, Mary Linda Williams.

Living first in a garage apartment and then a duplex, Chester bought property at 5521 Woodview Ave. in 1947 and completed the building of their first home in June of 1948. They lived here until the company he worked for; Southwestern Bell transferred Chester to Lubbock. Along the way there was another move which included living in Arlington but eventually retirement brought them back home to Austin in 1978.

Rulene has had many occupations during her lifetime. She was a Vanda Beauty Counselor of Cosmetics and there was a time she opened and ran her own in-home daycare and school. She had a very green thumb, and she was an amazing cook who made the best chocolate pies you’ve ever had. She was also an artist who painted almost all of the paintings in their home not to mention decorated the entire house including walls, flooring, appliances, etc. But first and foremost she was a mother to her 2 beautiful children Norman and Mary Linda. She took pride in everything she did with her children and it showed in the adults that they became. That tradition of love continued with the birth of her granddaughter, Mary Katherine, in 1981.

Rulene is preceded in death by her parents Mary Jones (1977) and Fred Jones (1985), her husband Chester Williams (1997), her sister Eileen Jones (2004), and her son Norman Williams (2010). She is survived by her daughter, Mary Linda Williams of Austin, her granddaughter Mary Meadows of Katy, her 2 great grandsons Carson and Parker, her daughter-in-law Kristin Williams, her sister-in-law Wilma Nell Williams ( age 96) of Conroe, brother-in-law George Williams of Taylor, brother-in-law Frank Williams of San Antonio, and many other beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Chester and Rulene had a very happy life and marriage for 54 wonderful years before Chester was taken with cancer. Rulene then led a full life of service to her children, her granddaughter, and her church for another 19 years following his passing. She was one of the strongest, bravest, and most tenacious women most people have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The world is an emptier place without her in it but you can bet that she, her husband and her son are back together again and she’s filling them in on everything they’ve missed all while baking them a chocolate pie.

The viewing will be held Friday, December 9th from 5:00-7:00pm at Cook-Walden Funeral Home: 6100 N. Lamar Austin, TX 78752. The funeral service will be held Saturday, December 10th at 10:00am at the Highland Village Church of Christ: 4716 Bull Creek Rd. Austin, TX 78731. Followed by graveside service at Austin Memorial Park.

To share condolence with the family, please visit www.ccokwaldenfuneralhome.com.