Gary Robert Williamson

Gary Robert Williamson 77, Wichita, KS, died May 22, 2018. He was born in Wilkinsburg, PA, on Aug. 9, 1940, and came to Wichita with his wife, Carmen Williamson, about 20 years ago. Gary lost his father early in life, and worked hard to make a life for himself. He joined the Air Force, where he met his wife. They made a life for themselves and their two daughters, Dawn and Nicole. Gary loved to travel, and the Air Force afforded him the opportunity to see the world and give his daughters an appreciation for other cultures and customs. Gary made a career of the Air Force, and retired with the rank of MSgt. Upon retiring, he put himself through college and became a computer programmer. He worked for ILC Dover as a programmer. When the shuttle exploded and the space program shut down for a period of time, he moved to Alabama and took a job with Boeing. In 1995, he and Carmen moved to Wichita, KS, where he worked for Cargill as a programmer and database manager until his retirement. He lived a good life. In May of 2017, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He fought a valiant fight, but lost his battle on May 22, 2018. His daughter in-law, Stephanie Williamson had taken on the role of his primary caregiver, and she was by his side when he passed. He was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Nicole Williamson; and parents, Robert Williamson, and Eleanor Diller. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Carmen Dian Williamson; daughter, Dawn Williamson; daughter in-law, Stephanie Williamson; cousin, Michelle Barber. A memorial/ celebration of life will be held at the family home on Wednesday, May 30 at 5pm. Dad was a proud veteran, and made sure to watch out for fellow armed forces personnel. In lieu of flowers, pay it forward to help other service personnel such as the Air Force aid society.