Lorraine Katie Williams

Lorraine (Katie) Williams ,96, died at Maries Manor in Vienna on Monday, February 15, 2010. Lorraine was born on November 26, 1913 near Judge to John Litton and Nancy Tyree Litton.
In the late 1930's Lorraine married Earl Buster (E.B.) Martin in St. Charles, Missouri. In 1938 a baby boy came to brighten that home. Ronald Gene (Ronnie) Martin was killed in a car accident January 2, 1955.
On October 3, 1975 Lorraine married Henry Williams of Rolla at her home at Lane Prairie by Rev. Chas Baker.
Besides her parents John and Nancy Litton, Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband Henry Williams, her son, Ronnie Martin, three brothers, Bill, Shot, and Paul, her three sisters Meta Evelyn Owens, Dollie Thompson, Lillian Epstein and a little sister, Laura in infancy.
Lorraine did a number of kinds of work starting babysitting when she was ten years old, factory work, to restaurant work. In 1939, her father (Dad) Litton built her a house on a 1935 Ford chassie. She drove daily to Vidock of the Independent Packing Company and operated her lunch wagon. In 1940, she moved her family to a farm in Osage County near College Hill. They returned to St. Louis in the fall of 1940 due to illness. In 1941 she opened a restaurant on South Vandeventer and ran it for a while and then returned to the farm. She helped with the farm work off and on until 1971. In the meantime, she sold World Book Encyclopedias and built houses. She started her first house on August 2, 1946. She was the only Lady Contractor in this area. In 1964 she bought 37 acres of land from Mr. and Mrs. Merle Hawkins and rebuilt the house that had burned inside. She had the 37 acres surveyed by surveyor John Leimberger of Vienna and made what is known as the Martin Subdivision. She was very proud of and sold most of the 13 houses on F.H.A. approval. She build good solid houses that people could afford. Her building career started on August 2, 1946. Two years in a row she built 4 homes and sold 100 sets of World Book Encyclopedias.
She was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Belle. She was called to preach the Gospel in 1937 and again in 1947, she was a minister of the Gospel for 27 years.
She wants to be remembered by the good years when she lead so many souls to the Lord. Her favorite scripture was "who so ever calls on the Lord will be saved."
Moved to Vienna on February 9, 1999. Moved to Maries Manor in 2001. She began writing for the Belle Banner in 1970.