Williams, Peter G. (1885-1955)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Apr 14 p. 8

Birth date: 1885 Jan 2

text of obituary:

PETER G. WILLIAMS

Peter G. Williams was born at Inman, Kansas Jan. 2, 1885. At the age of ten he moved with his parents to Galveston, Texas and lived there five years, going from there to Gotebo, Okla. There, on Oct 29, 1908, he was united in marriage to Lena Boese.

After residing there for a number of years the family moved to Canada for a short time, going from there to Idaho, then to Reedley, Calif. During this time the marriage was blessed with five children, Archie, Armand, Herbert, Irvin and Helen.

In 1923 the family moved to Oakland, Calif. There he joined the Melrose Baptist church, and became a devoted worker for the Lord through the Church. He served on the board of deacons for 21 years, also serving on other official boards of the church. In recent years he worked in the sponsoring of displaced persons and for their rehabilition [sic rehabilitation] in America.

He was an outstanding leader in all the church organizations, ever thinking only of the kindly services he could render as well as to his own dear ones.

He first became ill in 1951 and was treated for diabetes, but became worse. In Sept. 1952 he underwent major surgery for cancer, from which he rallied fairly well. However, by July 1954 he required more treatment and underwent surgery again, after which he suffered almost continually until the Lord called him home on March 7, 1955.

He is survived by his wife, Lena, five children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The memorial services was held at the Cooper Mortuary in Oakland at 3:00 p.m. on March 9, 1955. The service was conducted jointly by Rev. Ernest Hastings, pastor of Melrose Baptist church and Rev. James Roberts, assistant pastor.