Betty Williams

Betty Morrison Williams passed away Friday, October 29 at the Woodlands of John Knox Village, Pompano Beach, Florida, one day after her 92nd birthday. Her life celebration will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 6 at First Presbyterian Church Fort Lauderdale, 401 SE 15th Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Those unable to attend can view the service online at www.firstpres.cc. (Click on “Join Live Stream.”) The family will receive friends afterward in the Fellowship Hall.
Memorial donations can be made to help find treatments for ALS (Lou Gehrig disease) at www.fundraise.als.net/sandramarlowe, or by sending a check to ALS Therapy Development Institute, 480 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472, honoring Betty Williams, mother of Sandra Williams Marlowe.
Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Morrison was born to Dr. Donald Morrison and Ottie Gray Morrison in Gainesville, Florida on October 28, 1929, the day the stock market crashed and the roaring 20’s came to a close. Her father said the world would long remember her birthday.
Betty grew up in the historic home originally belonging to her mother’s parents with three older siblings, Dr. Donald Morrison Jr, Henry Gray Morrison, and Molly Mae Morrison. Several uncles and both her grandmothers also lived with her family.
Betty’s many talents were evident early in life. Always observant, she often found money on the ground, much to her sister’s chagrin. At four years old, her father taught Betty the multiplication tables (with a dime incentive for reciting all the tables correctly) and delighted in showing her prowess off to his friends. As an adult, when making purchases, Betty accurately tabulated purchases in her head as fast as a cash register. (And often caught mistakes by surprised store clerks.)
Betty’s childhood was full of love and laughter, with a steady stream of friends and family filling their home. She often paddled the boat while her father fished on the Suwannee River. Her mother, an excellent cook, made every meal noteworthy in presentation and taste. Fresh flowers from her garden adorned the table. Betty followed in her mom’s footsteps as a consummate entertainer, hosting many friends, family, and clubs. She kept files of invitations, menus, and table decoration sketches from her decades of entertaining.
Betty attended Florida State University for two years. She often brought groups of friends home to Gainesville for weekend dances at University of Florida. She transferred to UF in 1949 when it became co-educational. Always proud of her sorority affiliation, she helped the new Eta Delta Chi Omega chapter with their first rush and initiation.
As Pi Kappa Alpha Dream Girl, she met the love of her life, E. Gex Williams Jr. They married in September of 1950 and graduated the following December, Betty in Early Childhood Education and Gex with a degree in Civil Engineering. Gex, a Fort Lauderdale native, told her if she accepted his marriage proposal, she would never live north of West Palm Beach. Indeed, their first jobs were in West Palm Beach, where they lived for a year before moving to Fort Lauderdale. Betty taught second grade in West Palm Beach and then at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale.
Gex’s bride supported him in all his endeavors such as starting a business, as first mate on their boat, and first lady to him as Commodore at Lauderdale Yacht Club. They made a great team aboard their sailboat as he skippered and she served hearty meals from the galley to fortify the crew through stormy seas. Together Gex and Betty instilled a love of the open ocean and the Bahama Islands in their children, grandchildren and friends.
Betty is from a family of innovators. Her grandfather owned a brick business in Rome, Georgia, and secured two patents on a brick kiln he invented in the 1880’s. She was proud to tell people that she had five dentists in her immediate family. Her Uncle Thad Morrison introduced the use of Novocain to the Southern Dental Society and helped standardize Orthodontics as a dental specialty.  Her father was Florida’s first orthodontist and former president of the Florida Dental Society. Her brother invented removable orthodontic aligners. He did not pursue a patent, but using models he created while straightening her son Gex’s teeth, he presented the technology for the advancement of science and art at the annual session of Southern Society for Orthodontics.
With a natural knack for problem-solving across many disciplines, Betty frequently sketched invention ideas and made prototypes. Whenever she and Gex did home improvement projects and additions, she drafted detailed plans with electrical and plumbing details all noted. Betty took pleasure in promoting women’s higher education through her long affiliation as a PEO. She also was a Garden Club member, with a talent for growing flowers and making beautiful floral arrangements.
Betty delighted in serving neighborhood children, sailboat crews and countless others in her community. She gave generously of her time and resources to care for people in need, following the example set by her mother. Betty made sure her grandchildren knew their manners and encouraged their imaginations in creative ways. She was a devoted grandmother and loved hosting frequent family gatherings so that cousins could be close friends even when separated by long distances. Her zest for life and love of family leave a legacy that continues to inspire future generations.
Betty is predeceased by her husband Gex, her parents, her siblings, and her brother and sister-in-law, Judge George and Helen Richardson.
Betty is survived by her 3 children and spouses, 15 grandchildren and their 10 spouses, and 30 great-grandchildren. The Edwin Gex III and Judy Bixler Williams family: grandson David, children Sandra, Anna, and Katie; grandson Mark and wife Jessica, children Leah, Michael, Brianna, Brayden, and Alyssa; grandson Daniel and wife Jordan; granddaughter Sarah and husband Seth Holman, children Zeke, Josiah, and Emma; grandson E Gex IV and wife Rachel, children Teddy, Jack and Georgianna; and granddaughter Elizabeth Anne (Betsy) and husband Nathan Mendel. The Stephen Donald and Holly Anderson Williams family: grandson Stephen and wife Kristi del Sol Williams, children Danielle, Olivia and baby boy Williams; grandson Matthew; granddaughter Caroline; and grandson Christopher. The Wayne and Sandra Williams Marlowe family: granddaughter Rachael and husband Aaron Bullock, children Jacquelyn, Rebecca, Micah, and Malachi; grandson Daniel and wife Florence Lambert Marlowe, child Adelyn; grandson Byron and wife Britney Roberts Marlowe, children Peyton, Caleb, and Jacob; granddaughter Susannah and husband Josue Galan, children Ricardo, Elise, Lydia, and Luisa; and grandson Caton Marlowe and Paula Driscoll and their child Beckham.
Betty was especially close to her niece Kamie Richardson Gonzalez and nephews George and Gex Richardson, who lived down the street and grew up with her children. Her backyard was a playground for all the neighborhood children, whom she fed snacks and encouragement.
Betty and Gex were grateful for the loving service in their home for almost 40 years by Muirl Davis, who became family to their children and grandchildren. The Williams family would like to thank the staff at the Woodlands who took wonderful care of Betty, and her compassionate personal aides over the past four years-- Iffanise Fleurinord, Enese Celestin, and Nicki Phipps.