Orville Ernest (Ernie) Williams
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Memorial services for Orville Ernest (Ernie) Williams will be 1:00 p.m.
Saturday February 27, 2010 at First Christian Church, with Dr. Michael
Passmore officiating and Rev. Kim Clowe assisting. Arrangements are
under the direction of Sanders Funeral Home.
Orville Ernest (Ernie) Williams is survived by his second wife, Madlyn
(Lyn) Carol Williams of Lubbock and his sister Lolita Bohn and her
husband Robert Bohn of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is also survived by
four children, sons Jeffrey Michael Williams of Nacogdoches, Texas,
David Ernest Williams of Seabeck, Washington, William Frederick Dean,
and daughter Jo Leigh Zuehlke of Lubbock
as well as her husband David Zuehlke of Lubbock.
Proudly marrying both
David and Jeffrey, Ernie is survived by daughter-in-law Lisa Jaye
Williams of Seabeck, Washington and Rhonda (Robin) Kaye Williams of
Nacogdoches, Texas. Ernie is also survived by grandson B. J. Tapley of
Lubbock, grandson Kyle David Williams of Portland, Oregon, grandson Kane
Christopher Williams of Seabeck, Washington, granddaughter Erin Melissa Luper of
Crowley, Texas, granddaughter Emily Carolyn Williams of Nacogdoches,
Texas and three great-granddaughters, Hope, Rebekah, and Brooke Luper of
Crowley, Texas.
Ernie was ordained into the ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ) at Third Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana in June of
1956. After serving as Director of Indian Lake Christian Camp in
Indianapolis, Indiana, he accepted the position of Associate Minister of
Education for the Florida Region of the Christian Church. He continued
his ministerial service at First Christian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma and
at University Place Christian Church in Enid, Oklahoma before moving to
Texas in 1966. Ernie continued his ministerial service at Bellaire
Christian Church and Gulf Gate Christian Church in Houston, Texas before
serving the First Christian Church of Lufkin, Texas, the First Christian
Church of Bay City, Texas, and the Saint John’s United Church of Christ
of Rosenberg, Texas. In 1984, Ernie accepted the call to the First
Christian Church of Coleman, Texas. Moving to North Amarillo Christian
Church in 1989, Ernie continued his ministerial service until retirement
in 1994.
During retirement, Ernie continued his Christian educational calling by
serving as Executive Director of Ceta Glen Christian Conference Center
and Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat before serving as Interim Minister
for churches in Spearman, Tulia, Quanah, Childress, Borger, Lubbockview
and Community Christian Church in Lubbock, as well as churches in Big
Spring, Plainview, Brady, and Mason.
As an avocational Biblical Archaeologist, Ernie was on the Board of
Directors for the Joint Archaeological Expedition to Tel-El-Hesi, Israel
from 1975 till 1983. Ernie was a volunteer organizer for Crop Walk of
West Texas and Moderator for the High Plains Region of the Disciples of
Christ Church. Ernie served as Moderator of the Texas Church World
Service and participated in service missions to Lesotho, Honduras,
Nicaragua, and Mexico before focusing his mission work in the lower
Texas Rio Grande Valley. During his time as Moderator and Board Member
of the Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries in Los Fresnos, Texas, Ernie
helped develop the organizational structure for serving the poorest of
the poor of the Rio Grand Valley.
The family asks that memorials be given to Southwest Good Samaritan
Ministries, P.O. Box 921, Los Fresnos, TX 78566 or the Music Fund for
Jazz Worship, First Christian Church, 2323 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79401.
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