Ann Quendrid "Quendy" Williams Veatch
Quendy Veatch died on December 5, 2023. She was born the third child of William "Bill" Williams and Helon Brown Williams on September 24, 1936 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

She grew up at Tall Timbers Dairy Farm outside Little Rock with her parents and three siblings. Her mother died when she was ten years old and three years later, her father died. In order to keep the family all together after her parents passed away, her father's younger brother, Grainger, and his wife Frances, relocated with their two children to Tall Timbers to raise the six children as their own. Quendy graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1954. She attended Queens College in North Carolina for one year and then transferred to The University of Tulsa (TU), where she studied Art and Art Education under renowned artist Alexandre Hogue. There she served as the president of Phi Mu sorority.

At TU, she met her future husband, Ralph W. Veatch, Jr., and they married shortly after graduating from TU in 1959. They had three children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Quendy taught Art in Tulsa Public Schools until she and Ralph had their first child. In their early years together, they moved often, living in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas until settling back in Tulsa. Through all these years, Quendy was a devoted and energetic mother, wife, volunteer, and community leader.

A person of deep faith, she was a leader and choir member in all the churches she attended, and she volunteered in schools and the community. Quendy was on the PTAs of and volunteered in her children's schools - Council Oaks Elementary, George Washington Carver Middle School and Booker T. Washington High School. She was instrumental in forming Presbyterian Women for the Presbyterian Church USA and was a Ruling Elder at First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa. She served on the boards of Campus United Ministry at Canterbury Center at TU, Oklahoma Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Planned Parenthood, Crosstown Learning Center, and other local organizations.

Quendy was also a dedicated philanthropist and patron to many organizations that promoted the things she loved - the environment, the arts, and organizations that supported women, families, and children. She is an Honorary Lifetime Member of Presbyterian Women, and has been honored by Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center with an art building known as "The Q."

She will be remembered as an outspoken advocate for Women's rights, especially reproductive rights, racial reconciliation, and emulating Christ's love for all people. She was a valued friend and mentor to many. She made people feel loved with her generous attention and humor.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Helon Williams, her aunt and uncle, Grainger and Frances Williams (her guardians), and her siblings, Mary Brown "Brownie" Williams Ledbetter and her husband Cal, Ebissa "Bish" Grainger Williams and his wife Virginia, and June Hoes Williams, and sister-in-law Annie Laurie Veatch Peters, and brothers-in-law Tom Wedaman and Don Frankland. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Ralph W. Veatch, Jr., siblings Ann Wedaman and Alfred Williams (Elaine Eubanks), her children, Melinda Veatch (Glen Ely), Amanda "Amy" Veatch (Brian McCarthy), and Ross Peterson-Veatch (Erika), as well as four grandchildren, Helon Davis (Jordan), Leila Wright (Barrie Nielsen), Oscar Peterson-Veatch (Courtney Wehmeier), and Arthur Peterson-Veatch, one great-grandchild, Olivia Davis, and many nephews and nieces and great-nephews and great-nieces.
In lieu of flowers, contributions should be made to The Alexandre Hogue Endowed Scholarship in Art at the University of Tulsa, Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center, Planned Parenthood, or The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.
The Memorial Service will be Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 at 2 p.m. at Covenant Living at Inverness in Founder's Hall, 3800 W. 71st St., Tulsa, OK and a Celebration of Life Service will be held 3:00 PM, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church, 709 S. Boston, Tulsa, OK followed by a reception in Stephenson Hall. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com