Geraldine M. McWilliams

Geraldine McWilliams, age 79, of rural Asbury, MO, passed away at 3:30 a.m.Sunday, May 30, 2010 at Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg, KS ,after an extended illness.   Geraldine was born March 28, 1931 in rural Liberal, MO to Elmer and Madge (Collis) Dingman, and lived in the Nashville-Asbury MO area all of her life.  She was a member of the Nashville United Methodist Church, and honorary member of the Carl Junction FFA chapter, member of the Red Hat Society, & the Alba Ceramic Painters.    Geraldine married Warren McWilliams, September 28, 1951 at Bentonville, AR and was married for 58 years and together they raised their two children.   Geraldine was employed by Woolsworth, Pittsburg, KS; Dingman (John Deere) Farm Equipment as a bookkeeper in Lamar; transported girls for the detassling of hybrid seed corn production for Funk Seed Company.  She was a School Bus Driver for the Carl Junction R-1 School District for 35 years and was honored in 2002 by the Missouri House of Representatives for Superior Skilled School Bus Driving with no accidents for the 35 years she drove for the Carl Junction School District.  Geraldine helped daily with the operation of the family farm, especially bailing hay and straw, which she dearly loved to do.   She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother Gordon Dingman. Geraldine leaves behind her husband Warren, of the home; one daughter, Mary Ellen Burnick and her husband Tim, of Arma, KS; one son, Elmer Lloyd McWilliams and his wife, Brenda McWilliams, of Asbury, MO; three grandchildren, Kara Burnick, Brad McWilliams, and Benny McWilliams; and a host of family and friends.   Geraldine is loved and respected so much and will be missed by the many people whose lives she has touched over the years.   Pallbearers will be Lester Dingman, Tom Dingman, Wayne Dingman, DeWayne Gibson, Tommy Leggett, and Brian Massey. Honorary pallbearers will be Kara Burnick, Brad McWilliams, Benny McWilliams and Janice Bowman and the Carl Junction R-1 School District  school bus drivers.   Visitation for Geraldine will be 7 to 8 pm Tuesday, June 1, in the North Parlor of Daniel Funeral Home.   Funeral Services will be 2:00 pm Wednesday, June 2 at Daniel Funeral Home, with burial at Nashville Cemetery, Nashville,Mo.   Contributions are suggested to American Cancer Society or Nashville United Methodist Church, in care of Daniel Funeral Home.