Frank Lee Williamson

Frank Lee Williamson of Springfield, Missouri passed away in his sleep on the morning of April 5, 2026 in Springfield. He was 92. Frank was born on April 14, 1933 to Edward Joseph Williamson Sr. and Thelma Anne (Dawson) Williamson at the home of a family friend on West Olive St. in Springfield, Missouri. He was educated in the Catholic School System. Attending St Joseph Elementary School and St Agnes High School. He did attend one semester at Southwest Missouri State University. Frank contracted Polio when he was young, causing him to miss a large portion of the 5th grade, and later making him ineligible for the Draft. He became a Mason at the Gate of the Temple Lodge in the late '70s and subsequently became a Shriner at the Abou Ben Adhem Temple in Springfield.

Frank married Donna June (Patterson) Fisher on August 2, 1963 in Miami, Oklahoma; they later divorced in 1975. A few years later he met Mary Lou (Springs) Stewart, who was also born on April 14, albeit in 1938. They dated for 14 years before secretly deciding to tie the knot on their mutual birthdays in 1991 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. They remained married until Mary's death in November of 2023.

As a very young boy, Frank delivered telegrams around Springfield for Western Union on his bicycle. He also worked at the Star skating rink where he worked the floor, circling around to help fallen skaters. He bragged that as a favor to her parents he would drive home a young Brenda Lee after skating sessions, who of course went on to become a country music star. Frank had countless stories about Springfield's involvement in the history of Country Music and the Ozark Jubilee, including one story about a young Gorgie Jones walking in to a bar looking for a gig when nobody had ever heard of him, and another about Merle Haggard sleeping on a friends couch and then "borrowing his jacket" on his way out the next morning.

Frank was always looking for a way to earn a nickel and Father Schroeder of St. Agnes H.S. used this to teach him Math. He paid him for sweeping the gymnasium after school and setting up for special events in the gymnasium. Father Schroeder paid him 10 cents per hour and advised him to pay his friends a nickel an hour to help. He started worked at the Trailmobile plant in Springfield building tank trailers with his big brother, Eddie. He started out sweeping the floors and when a higher paying position became available, Frank applied for it. But his boss liked the way he kept the shop up so much that he suggested he pay him the extra nickel more to continue sweeping the floors. A couple of years later he went to work at the Frisco Railroad, doing so reluctantly because there was an 8-cent per hour pay cut involved. He remained at the Railroad, working as a Diesel Mechanic and later a Machinist, until he retired at the age of 62, long after the Frisco had been acquired by the Burlington-Northern Railroad. He bragged that he once assembled a very expensive and unfamiliar train engine that someone else had taken apart. The superintendent of the RR later asked him, "how did you know how to put that back together?" Per Frank, the answer was obvious, "It will only fit back together one way." Judging from his stories, Frankie as he was sometimes called, was a legend at the Frisco for being able to fix anything. He was a very good mechanic but would often fix things using unconventional methods. His young son Kevin bragged on him, saying "he can fix anything ... but it will never work the same again."

He loved riding motorcycles and won many flat track and TT races throughout the Midwest. He was part of the Heart of the Ozarks Motorcycle Club, which owned a racetrack northwest of Springfield, where he raced and later helped host the races. He also raced stock cars at the Springfield Fairgrounds Raceway. He was a close friend of Stewart Heinkel who owned the Harley shop on Chestnut at Boonville. He would stop by nearly every day to visit Stewart and check-out the latest bikes and accessories before driving through every car-lot on St. Louis street on his way home "looking for a bargain." He continued riding motorcycles well into his 70's, as he and Mary would travel the country on his Goldwing. He also purchased a motorhome the day he retired, the first of many, which he and Mary used to travel the country for the next 20+ years.

Frank was proceeded in death by twin infant brothers Paul James Williamson and John Gene Williamson when Frank was only 3, then his parents Edward J. Williamson Sr. and Thelma A. Williamson, his younger sister Mary E. (Williamson-Deulen) McElhany, his elder brother Edward J. Williamson Jr., followed by his wife Mary L. Williamson. He is survived by his daughter Renee M. (Fisher-Williamson) Pellham, son Kevin L. Williamson, Stepdaughter Kimberly Stewart, and Stepson Sam Stewart, granddaughter Elena (Pellham) Stephens, grandson Tyler Messier, Step-granddaughters Stephanie Hamilton and Amanda Rushing, and step-grandsons Bo Lafferty and Jesse Lafferty. Along with 4 great-grandchildren, 19 step-great-grandchildren and 2 step-great-great-grandchildren and many nieces & nephews.

Frank had several small dogs throughout his senior years which played a large part in keeping him healthy and active. He loved these dogs very much and therefore asked that donations be made to the Humane Society of Missouri in lieu of flowers.

No public service will be held.