Wilma Louise Williams, longtime Coffey County resident, passed away at her home in Burlington, Kansas, on September 19, 2025. She was born May 22, 1932, in Greenwood county, Kansas (near Lamont), to Frank Warren Peres and Emma (Kellenberger) Peres.  Wilma's siblings were:  brother Warren Peres, twin brothers, Orvil Peres and Oren (Wayne) Peres, sister Retha Farmer, and twin sister Wilda Williams.

Wilma attended LeRoy schools after her family moved to a farm about three miles northwest of town.  Following graduation from LeRoy High School, Wilma worked a few months in the Hallmark Cards factory in Topeka.  She returned to Coffey County to marry Wesley Williams, Jr., on Dec 2, 1951.

For the next several years Wilma had the role of housewife and mother.  She raised a large vegetable garden; canning and freezing the produce.  Large beds of strawberries were picked then sold to customers in LeRoy.   An adept seamstress, Wilma made clothing for her daughters and designed and made outfits for Barbie dolls.

When the children were older Wilma worked outside the home. First, she was a cook for the LeRoy Grade School cafeteria. Then she worked as a seamstress and an inspector in the H.L. Miller & Son dress factory in Iola. Later Wilma was a cook for the Coffey County Hospital; then was employed as a seamstress by "Country Critters" in Burlington until 1994. Next she worked part-time for 20 years in Technical Services at the Coffey County Library in Burlington. Her work entailed preparing new books and repairing damaged ones until full retirement in early 2015.

Wilma and Wilda were avid collectors of dolls and toys; but especially Barbie dolls. They enjoyed sharing their collections at LeRoy from 2014 through 2018, naming it "Barbie and More Collections."

Wilma was preceded in death by her husband Wesley; her parents, Frank and Emma; her three brothers, Warren, Orvil and Wayne; and her sister Retha.

She is survived by her sister Wilda (Peres) Williams;  her children, Gary Williams (Garden City, Ks); Marcia Whiting (Vassar, Ks); Kevin Williams (LeRoy, Ks); Cara Barkdoll (Burlington, Ks);  Marion Williams and wife, Vicki (Olathe, Ks); Arlene Williams (Garden City, Ks); and Valerie Williams (Burlington, Ks). She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends.

Cremation is planned. Memorial services are pending and will be announced.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hand in Hand Hospice or a favorite animal shelter and may be sent in care of Jones Funeral Home, PO Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.