Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Carol Kinney Williams


 Carol Kinney Williams 1938-2020

 

Carol Kinney Williams, the most zestful life-lover that many of her friends or family have ever known, passed in Dallas, Texas on November 1, 2020, a day short of her 82nd birthday.

"Carol" to husband Jimmy, her family and friends; or "Mama" to Trey, Todd, and Leslie; or "Gigi" to her four grandsons: Tanner, Ben, Jack and Joe; has died after a brief illness. A survivor of the mid-century Texas polio epidemic, our beloved matriarch is now dancing with Jimmy and running around Heaven seeing all the sights. The face she longed for the most has always been that of her Savior, Jesus Christ, and we have no doubt she rushed to His Arms at full speed with brand new legs.

Carol was born in Dallas, Texas on November 2, 1938 and grew up in the Houston area the daughter of Harry A. Kinney, an insurance professional, and Betty Winn Kinney, a homemaker. As a 6-year-old girl, in 1945, Carol was stricken with polio, a horrible disease that afflicted many American children in the years before the vaccine. At the Sister Kenny Institute in Minneapolis, Carol spent a year fighting to survive while separated from her family. She emerged from this ordeal with a permanent limp and an iron will to live her life with gusto.

After graduating Lamar High School in 1956, Carol, a talented pianist, attended SMU-Dallas and received her Bachelor of English in 1961. At SMU, Carol met Jimmy, a trained tenor, and from that moment on they accompanied each other. Carol was instrumental, through her boundless gift of evangelism, in Jimmy’s decision of faith. They served in full time ministry, first with Campus Crusade, and then with Probe Ministries, for the rest of their lives. They were married in 1963 and raised three children: Trey (1964), Todd (1968), and Leslie (1970).

In the mid-1980s, Carol, along with other survivors of the polio era, began to experience what came to be termed “post-polio syndrome” where sufferers had some of the same symptoms previously thought conquered. Carol fought back, hard, and founded the Dallas-Area Post Polio Association to foster community with her fellow survivors. During this work, Carol completed her Master’s in Counseling (LPC) at North Texas University in 1989 and practiced for several years until retirement.

Our Gigi had a zest for life that lit up the room. She never met a travel brochure she didn’t like. She meticulously researched the local cuisine to ensure she didn’t miss a single sensation. She was passionate about sharing her faith. And she loved her family with all her heart. She will be missed for her lusty laugh, her sincere love of people, and her relish of life.

Carol is survived by son and daughter-in-law Trey and Aide Williams of Plano; son and daughter-in-law Todd and Amy Williams of Dallas; daughter and son-in-law Leslie and Matt Blum of Carrollton; grandchildren Tanner Williams, Ben Williams, Jack Williams and Joe Williams; sisters Sue Patrick and Harriett Linenberger of Houston; brother Alex Kinney of Houston; and extended family and friends.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.'” Proverbs 31:28-29

After a private burial at Sparkman-Hillcrest Cemetery in Dallas, a celebration of Carol's life will be held at 11 o'clock AM on November 14, 2020 at Grace Bible Church, 11306 Inwood Rd, Dallas, TX 75229. Masks Required. Reception immediately following.

The service will be livestreamed and recorded at the following link:
https://livestream.com/accounts/23169952/events/6961783

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