Jack Williamson

John Francis Williamson, one of three children of Crystal (Jones) and Henry Theodore Williamson, was born on January 4, 1926 in Hamburg, Iowa. He grew up on a farm in the Coin, Iowa area graduating from Coin High School in 1943. Following high school, Jack farmed with his father and purchased a truck. He hauled farm products for his father and area farmers. On April 12, 1951, Jack entered the United States Army and served in Korea during the Korean Conflict. On August 10, 1951, Jack and Phyllis Fayrene Bownes of Tabor, Iowa, were married in Des Moines, Iowa. Jack was discarded from the Army on January 12, 1953 and they established a home on a farm north of Imogene, Iowa. Their marriage was blessed with three children, James, Linda, and Steven. In 1960, Jack and Phyllis moved to the Wilson farm in the St. John's neighborhood north of Hastings, Iowa. Jack farmed and also drove a truck for Waller Transfer in Malvern, Iowa and Wilcox Grain of Glenwood, Iowa. In 1975, Jack and Phyllis moved to the Wearin farm north of Hastings where Jack farmed for Sy until 1978. Jack and Phyllis then moved to their present home near Emerson, Iowa and Jack continued to work until 1...[more]

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when he was disabled by a stroke. Jack is a member of St. John's Lutheran Church at rural Hastings. His family has always been very important to him and Jack's other enjoyments included horses, tractors and farm machinery, and helping the neighborhood farmers during busy season. Phyllis and Jack had been married for 52 years when Jack died at Good Samaritan Center in Red Oak, IA on October 19, 2003. He had attained the age of 77 years, 9 months, and 15 days. Jack was preceded in death by his parents and his infant brother James. He is survived by his wife Phyllis Williamson and sons James Williamson and Steven Williamson all of Emerson; daughter Linda McGrew and husband William of Emerson, Iowa; grandchildren Melissa Escritt and her husband Mervin of Council Bluffs, Iowa and William J. McGrew of Emerson; sister Barbara Olenius and her husband Robert of Clarinda, Iowa; sisters-in-law Joycelyn Keeran and her husband James of Palm Desert, CA and Sharron Graham and her husband Rodney of Shambaugh, Iowa; other relatives and many friends.