The world lost a beautiful soul on May 10, 2015 . A soul filled with strength, compassion, honesty, integrity, a wealth of knowledge and most of all love. John Joseph Williamson Sr. was born on September 21, 1961 in Hatley, Mississippi to Anna Mae (Deese) Phillips. When John was just a month old his mother moved her family to Oklahoma where she worked hard and raised him and his two sisters as a single mother. Being the only boy in a house full of girls John often joked that "Everything I learned about life I learned from Star Trek!" He attended grade schools in Madill, Marietta, and Duncan, Oklahoma and finished in Tishomingo. John married his first wife Corrine Taylor and from that union came three sons. John soon found himself as a single father raising three boys, so he decided to try and make a better life for them and enrolled in college.

He graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SE) with a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Physics with a minor in math. While at SE he not only furthered his education by obtaining a Master's degree in Technology but a second one in Business Administration. During this time John was also employed by the Chemistry department for the Minority Bio Medical Research Sciences program for almost 12 years and later as a math instructor in the Learning Center for 2 semesters. After leaving Southeastern he started his own lawn care and fence business. He loved being outdoors and truly loved and cared about his clients on both a personal and professional level.

John met Dana Bell 31 years ago and they spent over 7 of them being best friends before getting married. They married on January 5, 1993 and together they raised their 5 children.

John loved Star Trek and all things Science Fiction, reading, learning, working crosswords, gardening, hiking, fishing, working on any and everything but most of all he loved the time he spent with Dana, his children and grandchildren.

John was preceded in death by his Mother Anna Mae (Deese) Phillips, Grandfather and greatest influence in life Benjamin Roy Deese, Grandmother Cecil Octavia Deese, Uncles Kenneth Berkey and Lee Roy Deese, Aunt Helen Sartin, Grandson Joshua Michael Williamson and friend and partner in crime Samuel Dean (Deano) Massingill.

He is survived by his wife Dana Bell.

Children: Nichole Bell and husband Daniel Coburn, Durant, OK., Robert Hankins and wife Jenny, Durant, OK., John Williamson Jr. and wife Michelle, Durant, OK., Charles Williamson, Denison, TX., Christopher Williamson and wife Chasity, Durant, OK.

Sisters: Helen Wardrip, Tishomingo, Ok., Elizabeth Phillips, East Orange, NJ. Nieces: Heather (Gary) West and son Nathaniel Courtney (Kirk) LaFevers and daughters Kate and Kara; Ashley (Chris) Davenport and daughters Avery and Millie all from Tishomingo, OK

Grandchildren: Xavier Bell, Persephanie Bell, Kyle Hankins, Chasetin Gailey, Alexa Gailey, Nevaeh Williamson, Elijah Hankins and Benjamin Williamson, all of Durant.

Services will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27th in the Massey Building on the corner of Main and 2nd streets in Durant with Kim McGehee officiating. A potluck dinner to celebrate his life will be at 4 p.m. at the Pennington Creek Pavilion in Tishomingo.