Margaret “Cissy” Williams died Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at Harbor Hospice House in Beaumont, Texas Cissy was born at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas on January 30, 1929 to Katharine Mitchell and Raymond Cecil Conder. As an “army brat” she lived in many places around the country and Honolulu, Hawaii.
She graduated from Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, and in 1951 received a BFA in Medical Illustration from Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans, Louisiana. While at Newcomb she became a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. Also while at Newcomb, Cissy met and married Stewart McGehee Williams M. D. They were happily married until his death in 1987.
Cissy loved to “dig in her natural garden” and was always ready to learn and teach about plants and flowers. After raising her children she pursued her artistic talent at Lamar University where she enjoyed learning about pottery and enjoyed making new friends. As an accomplished student of pottery she leaves many beautiful creations for her family to treasure. She was a member of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, The Jefferson County Medical Auxiliary, Past President of the Junior League of Beaumont and the Gallery Guild of the Beaumont Art Museum. She was an Affiliate member of the Magnolia Garden Club.
A lifelong Episcopalian, Cissy was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Beaumont.
Cissy is predeceased by her parents, her husband, her brother Raymond Cecil Conder and his wife Mary, and her cousin Terry Hornaday. She is survived by her children, Charles Conder Williams and his wife Beth, Stewart McGehee Williams, Jr. and his wife Becky and Katharine Williams Orgain and her husband Ben. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Benjamin “Darby” Orgain III, William Edmund Orgain, Margaret “Meggie” McGehee Orgain, Brady Ragan Williams, Tucker Wasson Williams and Paden McGehee Williams. Also surviving are her cousin, Kay Hornaday Birchman and husband Clif; nephew, Steven Conder and his wife Anne; and great niece Mae Conder. She also leaves many other nieces, nephews, family and friends.
The family would like to express our thanks for the dedicated care Cissy received from Dr. Dan Harmon and the staff of Beaumont Adult Medicine, especially Penny Sirmons and Brenda Burnett. We would also like to thank Dr. Qamar Arfeen, the nurses and staff at Harbor Hospice House in Beaumont for their compassonate and loving care at such a difficult time. We are grateful for her caregivers from Quality Care Services: Opal, Caroline, Rita and Queenie who treated her with patience, respect and dignity.
Funeral Services will be 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 2008 at St. Mark’s
Episcopal Church with burial to follow at Forest Lawn under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin, Beaumont. The family will be available to receive visitors at 2:00 p.m. at the Cloister of St. Mark’s before the service. Pallbearers will be Steve Conder, Darby and Will Orgain, Brady, Tucker and Paden Williams. The family will gather at Cissy’s home after the burial and invite family and friends to visit.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made in her memory to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 680 Calder, Beaumont, Texas 77701-2398; Magnolia Garden Club “Plant Beaumont Green”, 6920 Westgate, Beaumont, Texas 77706; Harbor Hospice Foundation, 2450 Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77713; or Some Other Place, 590 Center, Beaumont, Texas 77701.
