Teresa Louise James Williford's Obituary
Teresa Louise James Williford, 83, born September 28, 1934, daughter of John Thomas and Ruth Elizabeth James (both deceased), mother and spouse of noted Dallas architect, Donald French Williford, died peacefully of natural causes on Monday, July 16, 2018.Graduating Salutatorian of her Senior Class at St. Edward’s Academy, Mrs. Williford married Don Williford on July 17, 1953, almost exactly 65 years ago to this day. She moved with her husband, a graduate of Texas A&M stationed at Ft. Bliss, to El Paso until 1955, then returned home to Dallas where they both lived together till his death, October 31, 2017. A stay-at-home mother while her children were young, Mrs. Williford then worked 24 years as office manager for Dr. Donald Klein, MD, at the Plastic Surgery Center of Dallas.A devoted mother of six children—Lex Akers, Lisa Ann, Louise Annette, John Thomas, Carl Alan (who died at 3 of leukemia in 1965) and Mary Teresa—grandmother to eight—Shannon, Hilary, Carl, Jamie, Joshua, Megan, Claire and Eamon—and great grandmother to seven more—Major, JP, Hudson, Rayden, Jayden, Riley and Sutton—Mrs. Williford was also a mother to countless numbers of young people—children and teenagers, friends and family—whom she welcomed into the modernist, split-level Lake Highlands house her husband designed and built in 1969, feeding, counseling, consoling and loving them all as if they were her own. She’ll always be remembered and greatly revered for her open heart and good humor, her great generosity and kindness and her authentic, unfailing empathy toward others.A service in her honor will take place at Restland’s Wildwood Chapel Friday, July 20, from 12:30-1:30 pm.Please send any donations in lieu of flowers in memory of Carl Alan Williford, Donald French Williford and Teresa James Williford to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate.
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