Gene Cooper Williams

Gene Cooper Williams, known to his family as “BawBaw”, age 83, resident of Rossville and husband of Betty Speck Williams, departed this life Monday morning, September 18, 2017 at his residence.

Services of Remembrance with Military Honors for Mr. Williams were conducted at 2 P.M. Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at Oakland with Bro. Thomas Foy, pastor of the Kirk Baptist Church, officiating. A Private Interment was in the Fayette County Memorial Park Cemetery on Highway 64. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center – West Chapel at Oakland.

Mr. Williams was born August 25, 1934 in Tyronza, Arkansas. He received his education at Tyronza High School and Northwest Mississippi Community College, where he received a baseball scholarship. He served his country in the United States Army as a young person and was employed as a truck operator for many years before his retirement. Mr. Williams was a member of the Kirk Baptist Church in the Kirk Community of Fayette County and enjoyed outdoor activities that included fishing and training, showing and riding horses. His family states that everything that he did, he did well, and his family was the joy of his life.

Mr. Williams is survived by his wife who he married August 9, 1956, Betty Speck Williams of Rossville, TN; two daughters, Gina Gail Burrows (Tim) of Collierville, TN, Sharon Ann West (Paul) of Moscow, TN; his son, Mark Allen Williams (Amber) of Hernando, MS; his brother, Winston Williams (Brenda) of El Paso, AR; five grandchildren, Crystal Dawn Burrows of Collierville, TN, Allison Michelle Young (Jeremy) of Benton, LA, Letitia Lynn Twisdale (Dan) of Moscow, TN, Holli Gail Dennison (Josh) of Rossville, TN, Cody Allen Rhoda (Indie) of Moscow, TN; and ten great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James H. Williams and Anna Mae Sims Williams; his son, Harry Gene Williams; and two brothers, Harry Lawson Williams and Jimmie H. Williams.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Kirk Baptist Church Building Fund, 6365 Raleigh-LaGrange Drive, Collierville, TN 38017.