Gloria J. Williams

July 27, 1948 - July 14, 2018

WILLIAMS, Gloria J., age 69, of Lebanon and formerly of Middletown, passed away Sat. July 14, 2018 at Hospice of Butler & Warren County. Gloria loved babies and children and was called into the childcare field early in her life. She was a real difference maker in the lives of children and became highly respected within her field. She received a certificate in childcare from the Child Development Association and worked over 40 years in several childcare facilities, most notably the Abilities First Foundation, where she worked with special needs children, Little People’s Daycare, and more recently at the Middletown Atrium Hospital. Throughout her career, she greatly enjoyed her work and had an extremely positive influence on many children with the way she showed kindness, love, and patience to so many children. At one point in her career, she was interviewed by the Child Council in Washington D.C. for her work as a training tool for other providers. Gloria had a giving, nurturing, and loving personality with a gentle spirit. She was outgoing, loved people, and lived life to the fullest. She never had an unkind word to say about anyone and she always looked for the good in people. She was also known to lighten the mood in a room by being goofy and fun, especially if children were nearby. She had a personal relationship with God, and she was a member of the Lebanon Church of the Nazarene. Church was important to her and she enjoyed working in the Sunday School program for many years. For 11 years, she and her family rented a pop-up camper and traveled to a Nazarene campground in Indiana. She helped build the campground, and she took great pride in the relationships and experiences that she made with family and friends there. She loved her family and she did everything with her husband by her side. In addition to her work, she also enjoyed cooking, crafts, coloring projects, writing poetry, singing, and spending time with her grandchildren. Her cooking was also filled with love, and some of her favorite items included homemade vegetable soup, beef stroganoff, pineapple upside down cake, and dirt cake for the grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant son, Devin John; her parents Caleph and Sarah Marie Todd; and two brothers Cary and Colby Todd. She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Dwight Sr.; two sons Dwight (Donelle) Williams, Jr. and Dale (Cyndi) Williams; five grandchildren Ciarra, Krista, Allie, Keith, and Drew; two sisters Deborah Powell and Bonnie (Larry) Ray; two brothers Caleph (Dianna) Todd and Curtiss (Donna) Todd; several nieces and nephews; and lifelong friend Linda Blackburn. Funeral services will be held 1 PM Wed. July 18 at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. Burial will be in Lebanon Cemetery. Rev. David Schooler will be officiating the service. The family will receive friends 11 AM - 1 PM Wed. at the funeral home. If desired, contributions may be made to Hospice of Butler/Warren County. Many people were influenced by Gloria as children and will remember being read her favorite book, Love You Forever, written by Robert Munsch. Condolences at www.stubbsconner.com.