Rolla Dale Williams

Medical Lodges in Independence, Kansas.

The youngest of 5 children, John (deceased), Rosie, William (deceased) and Maxine, Rolla was loved as the baby brother and was very spoiled. The sisters used Rolla to be their dance partner to learn new

dances as they were members of the USO Club in the 40ʻs.

Rollaʼs dad, John Andrew Williams( B1883) and his mother Leona Mae (Atchinson) Williams ( B1906)

were married in 1923 in Paduka, KY and resided all their lives in Kansas City, MO.

Rolla (known as Rollie by friends and family) went to Mark Twain Grade School and Southeast High

School, graduating in 1953. He was working at Safeway grocery store when he met and later married

Joyce Van Spry in 1957. They were married until 1973.

Rolla was drafted into the Army in 1958-1959. He and Joyce had 2 children, Debra Jean Williams(Auger) B1959 and Brian Keith Williams B1966.

Rolla was an over the road truck driver for Cartwright trucking for many years and then later he worked for Frye Wagner out of Lenexa, KS until he retired in 2005. He could tell all kinds of stories about life on the road with a moving company. He should have written a book. Everyone liked Rollie.

In 1986 he married Carolyn Joy Zinn who had 4 children, April, Larry, Steven and Rod. Together, Rolla and Carolyn had 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Rolla and Carolyn traveled a lot until Rollaʼs health became an issue. Rolla loved to camp and did this for many years with all the family, including his brother and sisters and their families. They achieved their goal of traveling to all 50 states. Eventually they sold their motorhome and moved to Louisburg, KS.

Highlights for Rolla included going to the baseball museum in Cooperstown, NY and the football museum

in Canton Ohio, and visiting Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

Church was a big part of their life in Louisburg, KS and later Independence, KS.

He will be greatly missed for his smile and his presence as everyone loved to be around him and enjoyed his humor.