Louella Williamson

Aug. 11, 1937 ― Jan. 7, 2025
Services for Louella “Lou” Mae Williamson will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church in Ruthven. Rev. Eric Patten will officiate. Interment will be at Crown Hill Cemetery in Ruthven.
Lou, the daughter of Harold E. and Ferne L. (Peterson) Bates, was born Aug. 11, 1937, in Rolfe. While in high school, Lou was a very talented basketball player. Lou graduated from Emmetsburg High School in 1955. Following high school, Lou worked as a telephone operator in Spencer.
On Jan. 16, 1960, Lou was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” Williamson at Zion Lutheran Church in Ruthven. They were blessed with three children, Cindy, Pam and Doug. Bob and Lou farmed near Ruthven where they raised their family. Lou was a faithful and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Lou and Bob farmed together until their retirement.
Lou was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Ruthven for many years. She also enjoyed playing golf and was an active member of various golf leagues in both Iowa and Texas. Lou loved spending time with her family, tuning into the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball games, and was always ready for a competitive game of cards. She was also an avid reader and liked to put together jigsaw puzzles. Lou and Bob spent over 45 years wintering together in the Rio Grande Valley area of South Texas. During the winters there they enjoyed shopping and spent many happy hours in Mexico, and in Texas attending the American Legion’s Friday night Fish Fry. They also met with friends and family for breakfast every morning, at 6 sharp, in Iowa and Texas.
Lou passed away Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer, at the age of 87.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Ferne; brothers, Lloyd, Larry and Kenny Bates; sisters-in-law, Bonnie and Jeneane Bates; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Henry and Bertha Williamson; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Gene and Peanuts Williamson, Lorraine and Bob Spurling, Luverne and Betty Williamson, Norman and Scharny Williamson and Kenny Garrelts.
She is survived by her children, Cindy Oviatt and her husband, Pat, of Spencer; Pam Rupar and her husband, Randy, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Doug Williamson and his wife, Jill, of Ruthven; eight grandchildren, Sara Oviatt, Jeff Oviatt, Keely Ring, Carter Williamson, Rylee Williamson, Taylor Williamson, Haley Rupar and Grant Rupar; five great-grandchildren, Zach, Bentley, Blair, Leena and Milo; brothers, Jim Bates (Shirley) of Graettinger; Harry Bates of Twin Falls, Idaho; and David Hatch (Diane) of Emmetsburg; sisters, Carol Sherman (Jerry) of Pella, and Sandy Iwen (Craig) of Emmetsburg; sisters-in-law, Sharon Bates of Britt, Aura Beth Bates of Virginia and Joann Garrelts of Spencer; several nieces and nephews; as well as many other relatives and friends.
Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home, martinmatticefuneralhome.com.