Gene Williams

Our father, Gene Williams, died May 7, 2024, of lung cancer, in Hospice of Wichita Falls. He was 82.

Gene was born in Wichita Falls, the day after Pearl Harbor, the day the US entered World War II, and grew up mostly in Wichita and Young County, Texas. He was the son of Charlcia (Norseworthy) Cowden and raised mostly by an uncle and aunt, Tom and Wilma Preston. He had three older brothers—Pete, Bob, and Doyne—all of whom predeceased him, and one older sister, Twilia, who also predeceased him. He had two younger brothers, Bill and Weldon Cowden. Weldon predeceased him. He and Bill (Saginaw, Texas) re-established their relationship after several years of having drifted apart. We are grateful that Bill and his partner Anna Simmons came into our lives and went through every step of this difficult time with us.

Gene was proudest of his children and grandchildren, his Marine Corps service (1960-1964), and his 39 years of continuous sobriety. He had one son, Wade Williams (Loving, Texas), and three daughters— Tracie Moore (Graham, Texas), Desi Vicars (Holliday, Texas), and April Palmer (Houma, Louisiana)— eight grandchildren: Carl Moore (Joshua, Texas), Michael Moore (Graham, Texas), Yves Andress (Spokane, Washington), Thomas Williams (Houston, Texas), Rona Williams (Houston, Texas), Hunter Dalton (Wichita Falls, Texas), Hadley Vicars (Holliday, Texas), and Layton Gober (Holliday, Texas); and one great-grandson, Owen Dalton (Wichita Falls), all of whom survive him, along with numerous nieces and nephews in California, Boston, Kentucky, and Texas.

He collected many friends over his 82 years— childhood friends, hometown friends, work friends, hunting friends, AA friends, online friends—and maintained those friendships with delight. Most of those friends were family to him.