Bertha Madeline Williams

Sapulpa— Bertha M. Williams, 90, died Monday in Tulsa. Services pending. Smith. (Tulsa World)

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Bertha Madeline Brumley Williams was known as the "World's Greatest Mother" to her three children; as Grandma Bubba, Memaw, and Ma to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and as a kind, gentle, beautiful, intelligent lady to all who met her. She celebrated her 90th birthday Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, and she continued the celebration in heaven on Sept. 5, 2011. Her life and her legacy will be celebrated during a visitation tonight, Sept. 7, at 6:30 p.m. at Smith Funeral Chapel and during a memorial service Thursday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. at Linden Street Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, with Jeff Jordan officiating.

Burial will follow at Green Hill Memorial Gardens.

She was born Sept. 4,1921, in Sapulpa to Shep E. and Mollie Hazelwood Brumley. After her father's tragic death in 1923, the family re-located to Kellyville where a young Bertha excelled academically and athletically. She was a stand-out basketball player and captain of the basketball team. She treasured her relationships and memories of Kellyville and loved to tell stories of her childhood. After graduation, she moved back to Sapulpa and worked locally. It was through work at Bartlett Collins that she met her future husband, Joesph E. Williams of Beggs. The two married on Sept. 15,1943, in Sapulpa. Together they shared three children, Mary Jo, Darrell, and Mendy. Joe preceded her in death in 1964, leaving her to finish raising their children. She was beloved not only to her children, grandchildren, and great¬-grandchildren, but also to all their friends. Everyone loves their own mother, but not everyone has a mother who is loved by everyone. Bertha was that mother. She was the one who hosted the slumber parties, who made the fabulous breakfasts, and who always had the time to listen. Faith and family were the two most important things in her life and she shared that legacy with her children, teaching them that those two values were what truly made a person rich. Her other great love was sports, especially anything OU. She loved football, basketball, and baseball and she counted former OU Coach Kelvin Sampson as a friend. She had the opportunity to meet Coach Sampson and for years after that meeting she enjoyed a correspondence with him. Besides OU, she also was a fan of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the Atlanta Braves. Sports fans were always amazed at her knowledge and her ability to recall players' names and statistics. She was one of the first Blue Bird leaders in Sapulpa, a charter member of Linden Street Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a wonderful cook and her family always enjoyed her delicious meals, especially her pies, cookies, potato salad, fried chicken, and hand-cut fries. She worked for John Sledge at Sledge Studio for many years and later worked as a floral designer for her daughter, Mary Jo Stansbury, at The Flower Shop. After retiring, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and her sister, Mary. * In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Bart Joseph Stansbury; her sisters, Mary Brumley Ockerman, Goldie Allen, and Pearl Dodson; and her brother, Carl Brumley. Her family would like to thank the many people who helped care for her including the staff at Grace Living Center, Jenks, Southcrest Hospital, and St. John Medical Center - Sapulpa. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Smith Funeral Home, Sapulpa, OK.