Carol Lynn (Hartman) Williams

Carol Lynn Williams, 81, of Keokuk, passed away on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois.

Carol Lynn Hartman was born on March 6, 1941 to Chester Lee and Hila (Creason) Hartman in their farm house “a mile and a half north of Gorin, Scotland County, Harrison Township, State of Missouri.” When she would say this, one of her grandfather’s friends would give her a nickel so she could buy an ice cream cone at Jr. Creason’s Café in Gorin.

At the age of 9, she joined the Gorin-Go-Getters 4-H club where she was an active member, winning may blue ribbons at the Scotland County Fair and the Missouri State Fair. She was awarded the coveted 4-H Key award.

Also at the age of 9 in 3rd grade, the Gorin school started a band program for all grades which she joined and played her trumpet all through her life.

At the age of 14 she started teaching piano lessons to Reva Kraus Triplett and soon to two of her cousins. Many of her students became piano teachers, church choir directors and organists.

Carol Lynn professed her faith in Christ on Easter Sunday in 1951 and was baptized by the Rev. George Ramsey on Mother’s Day in the Gorin Christian Church. She became the church pianist in 6th grade and continued through college.

She graduated from Gorin High School in 1959. She always attended the Gorin Alumni Banquet and enjoyed visiting with her classmates, her mother’s classmates and other Gorin friends.

With the encouragement of Ray and Mary Jane Goeke, she majored in music at the Kirksville State Teachers College in piano and trumpet. She was honored for being the first to participate in all three honor bands (varsity, concert and symphonic wind ensemble) for 5 years. After the death of her parents, Richard and Cleta Mae Kraus included her in their family. They became Hila’s Gorin grandparents.

After college, she was hired as the Elementary Music Supervisor for all the seven elementary schools in Keokuk, Iowa for 5 years. She also taught 7 years in Hamilton, Illinois, and 10 years at Running Fox Elementary in Clark County where she taught music, 2 choirs and 2 bands. She may have moved away from Gorin, but her heart remained close to Gorin, her friends there, her child home church, and White Shrine of Jerusalem.

She was a member of the K. Tones, ACES, past president of AAUW and Chapter U, PEO. She was a 60+ year member of the Order of the Eastern Star where she served as Worthy Matron, secretary and all the Star Points. In 2018 she was appointed as Grand Representative to Pennsylvania Order of the Eastern Star. She was an active member of the Keokuk Concert Association since 1965 and served as treasurer 35+ years.

On November 23, 1968, she was united in marriage to Charles Allen Williams in the Gorin Christian Church by the Rev. David Stout.

In 1969, she was baptized again in the Burlington Baptist Church by the Rev. George Keppner. They were also members at Bel Air Baptist Church. In 1973, they became members of First Baptist Church in Keokuk. At First Baptist, she was very active in the music ministry serving as church pianist for 30 years, Sunday School pianist and choir. She and Charles formed the church band for several years and played numerous duets, trios and ensembles throughout their 40+ years.

She started the Effie Linquist Morning Circle and served as chairman for many years.

They also played in the Keokuk Municipal Band and almost 50 years in McNamara’s Band, where she was the first woman instrumentalist to be allowed into the band.

In 1976 they adopted a precious baby girl, Hila Lynn. Their family was complete and more involved in her school and band activities.

She is survived by her husband Charles Allen Williams, daughter Hila Lynn (Mike) Cook and grandson Christian Michael Allen Cook.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister and a very special (almost) sister, Reva Kraus Triplett.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at DeJong-Greaves-Printy Funeral Home in Keokuk, Iowa, with burial to follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Gorin, Missouri. The funeral will be live-streamed here. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, November 1, from 3 to 7 pm, with family meeting friends from 5 to 7 pm.

Memorials may be made to the Keokuk Concert Association, The Gorin Christian Church or the Pleasant Grove Cemetery.

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