Obituary for Richard Forbes Williams
(As dictated by Richard to his daughter, Shari, on Jul 21, 2019)
Richard Forbes Williams, October 9, 1941, was born to his wonderful parents, Ennis Forbes Williams and Kathleen Marie Williams. He lived in Oklahoma City the first year of his life before moving to Guthrie, Oklahoma for the next 16 years.
In 1957, the family moved to Midwest City to be closer to his father’s work at Tinker AFB. Richard graduated from MWC High School in 1959 and met the love of his life, Roberta Davis, in 1960. They dated for the next two years, and were married at the Methodist Church in Cashion, Oklahoma. He was employed by Overhead Door Company as office manager for 15 years.
In October 1969, Richard joined the Del City Police Force Reserve Officers. He was with Del City PD until 1977, when he and his family moved to Mangum, OK. He joined the Mangum Police Reserves, where he worked for the next six years. During that time, his full-time job was with Family Medical Center, as office manager for his friend, Jeffrey S. Lester, M.D.
Richard completed State Certified CLEET Training (Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training). He worked a total of 28 years for Del City PD, Mangum PD, and Greer County Sheriff’s Office. Richard was also an underwater search and rescue diver for Greer County Sheriff’s Office. He volunteered three days at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building after the bombing. He assisted State and Federal agents with traffic, and also assisted at the triage area, working with the families of victims.
In 1997, Richard went to work as a medical missionary with Medics International, shipping medical equipment, supplies, and medicine to missionaries all over the world. His service included medical missionary trips to Ghana, Uganda, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Amazon Jungle, Peru, and Central America. Richard retired from Medics International in 2004.
Richard was a member of Mangum First United Methodist Church for 42 years. He was a member of Methodist Men, Mangum Lion’s Club, delivered Meals on Wheels in his retirement years, and was a volunteer at the Christian Thrift Store. He was a certified volunteer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, working with the prison ministry. He adopted Daryl Halbert as his special son. Richard was a silversmith and goldsmith and enjoyed making crosses and jewelry for family and friends.
Richard informally adopted his nephews, Christopher and Jeremy Deurmyer in 1990.
Richard is survived by his loving, good, Christian wife, Roberta; his loving daughter, Shari Kloos, and son-in-law Brian Kloos of Amarillo, Texas; his loving son, Brian Forbes Williams and daughter-in-law Michelle of Tulsa; son Chris Deurmyer and wife Alice of Walters; son Jeremy Deurmyer and wife Morgan of Euless, Texas; granddaughter Erin Teddy and husband Jerry; Logan Kloos and fiancé Ben McKenzie, great-grandson Cooper; grandson, Casen Kloos; granddaughter Piper Williams; granddaughters Katie and Ella Deurmyer; brother David Williams and sister-in-law Maggie; niece Stephanie Akers and husband Jared; great-nephews Shane and Jack Akers.
Richard was preceded in death by his father, Ennis Forbes Williams; mother, Kathleen Marie Williams; and brother, Bruce Monroe Williams.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 596, Mangum, OK 73554.
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Previous Events
Visitation
Thursday
8
Aug
6:00 PM
- 7:30 PM
Greer Funeral Home
235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, OK 73554
Funeral
Friday
9
Aug
10:00 AM
First United Methodist Church
301 W. Jefferson St.
Mangum, OK 73554
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