Ethel Ardenia Williamson

Ethel Ardenia Williamson, age 89, of Weatherford, passed away quietly, May 18 , 2011, in an Eastland, TX care facility surrounded by her family. Ethel was born February 16, 1922 in the Bunger community of rural Young County to Coy D. and Millie Gathings. Ethel graduated from Graham High School in 1940 and moved to Fort Worth in 1943 to contribute to the World War II production effort at the Consolidated Aircraft Factory building B-24 Liberators. Ethel, her sister Nell and thousands of "Rosie the Riveters" just like her worked 12 hours a day 6 days a week often on the night shift until victory at the end of the war in September 1945. There she met Arthur Williamson who had come to Fort Worth from Tennessee seeking the better job opportunities offered in Texas. Arthur and Ethel were married on June 22, 1946 and made their home in the Poly neighborhood in Fort Worth where they raised three children and attended Birchill Baptist Church where she was the organist and children's music director. Ethel also taught private piano lessons. Ethel had a great love of music and took piano lessons and studied through correspondence classes to attain a certificate in music education. The family moved to Weatherford in 1968 and moved their church membership to First Baptist Church in Weatherford. Ethel was active in the children's music program and when the church opened Weatherford's first licensed professional daycare center Ethel was the center's music director. She was affectionately known to the children as "Ms. Ethel". Ethel continued in that role until she retired. Ethel loved her students and also caring for her 5 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, a teenage brother Milton, her sister Geneva, her daughter Linda Barnstein and Linda's husband Rex Barnstein, and an infant son. Survivors: Her husband of 65 years, Arthur Williamson also of Eastland, son Malcolm Williamson and wife Pat of Carbon, TX., daughter Elaine Carter and husband Ronnie of Weatherford, sister Nell Goodson of Fort Worth, brother Leonard Gathings and wife Joyce of Graham, grandchildren Lisa Fuller and husband Steve of North Richland Hills, Brian Barnstein of Hurst, Lesley Belle and husband James of Austin, Rebecca Perales and husband Michael of Weatherford, Austin Carter and wife Jennifer of Weatherford, 8 great-grandchildren children, numerous nieces and nephews and many friends. Funeral will be held at 2:00 Monday May 23, 2011 in White's Chapel of Memories with internment in Memory Gardens of the Valley Cemetery. Visitation is from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Sunday at White's Chapel of Memories.