Former state Rep. Marilyn Williams loses cancer battle

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- After a two-year battle against cancer, Marilyn Williams, 55, former state representative from the 159th district, died at her Wappapello residence early Wednesday afternoon.

Williams, whose hometown was Dudley, was first elected to her state House seat in a special election held in 1991 to fill the seat of State Rep. Jerry T. Howard. Howard had been elected to fill the Senate seat vacated by Stephen Sharp when Sharp was appointed to the bench.

Williams served consecutive terms in the Missouri House of Representatives until she was defeated by now Sen. Rob Mayer of Dexter in the 2000 election.

Marilyn Williams

Williams was a well known figure in her hometown area and across Southeast Missouri, having served in a number of leadership roles throughout the community and at the state level. She was owner of Fiddler's restaurant in Dexter and was the recipient of the Small Business Person of the Year Award from the Eastern District of Missouri in 1986.

She had also been honored as Beta Sigma Phi's Woman of the Year and as the recipient of the Democratic organization's Bess Truman Award.

Williams served as president of both Dexter's and Dudley's chambers of commerce, and served also as a Stoddard County Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) board member. She was a 1972 Dexter High School graduate and attended both Three Rivers Community College and Southwest Baptist College.

During her tenure serving the area as state representative, Williams served as chairman of the House Agri-Business Committee and on the Appropriations-Natural and Economic Resources Committee, the Banks and Financial Institutions Committee, the Motor Vehicle and Traffic Regulations Committee, the Fees and Salaries Committee and the Governmental Organization and Review Committees.

Following her tenure in the House, Williams was appointed to serve as director of Professional Registration for the state of Missouri for a term from 2000 until 2004, after which she served in various capacities within the state government.

Williams is remembered by current Executive Director of Dexter's Chamber of Commerce Janet Coleman, as an industrious advocate of small business owners and entrepreneurs and a lifetime supporter of efforts within the Democratic party.

"Marilyn was a dear friend and I cherish the special moments I was privileged to have with her," Coleman said this morning.

"When she was in office in Jefferson City, I saw first-hand how dedicated she was to her constituents and to working for the citizens in her district. I have several classic memories of Marilyn that I will forever cherish."

The Williams family has requested that memorials to Marilyn Williams be sent to the Bayless Taylor Scholarship Fund which was established upon the recent death of Bayless Taylor, Williams' father. Memorials should be designated in memory of Marilyn Williams. A family member confirms that each year a scholarship will be granted to a female high school graduate from the area who plans to pursue a career in public service. Those memorials should be directed to the office of Edward Jones, P.O. Box 35, Dexter, Mo., 63841.

Marilyn Williams leaves two sons, Richard and Roy Williams. No memorial service is planned at this time.