John Williams

John “Johnny” W. Williams Sr. born November 21, 1947, in Pawnee, OK Died December 22, 2022, at his home in Grayhorse, OK. He was the son of Lester Earl “Pete” Williams and Mary M. Webster Williams (Grayhorse District), he is of the Ponca Peacemaker clan. He graduated from Fairfax High School in 1966, and from there he attended his freshman year of college at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, OK. He then transferred to Oklahoma State University for his 2nd semester, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967 while being drumkeeper for the Grayhorse district. John was a decorated Vietnam Veteran (1969-1970), his occupation during that conflict was Special Forces Green Beret Combat Medic. He married his wife of 53 years, Frances A. West Williams on June 10, 1969 before he accepted his assignment to be deployed to Vietnam.

Upon his return to the United States, he returned to his wife Frances A. Williams (Hominy District). They had three children John W. Williams Jr., Stacey L. Williams, and Nicholas “Nick” J. Williams. John led a career as a Physician’s Assistant which he chose after visiting with Mr. John Shaw (Grandfather of Rosemary and the late Dr. Ron Shaw), this choice led him to many reservations across Indian country from the bottom of the Grand Canyon with the Havasupai Indians to the Hills of South Dakota before returning to his Osage home where he retired after 35 years of service under the Federal Government Indian Health Services.

After his retirement, John sat on the 31st Council in 2005 for the Osage Nation and continued his work with the Tribal Governmental Affairs where he served as Director of Operations under former Chief Jim Gray and served as Senior Advisor to current Chief Geoffrey Standingbear. He maintained his traditions of being a committeeman, and advisor to the Grayhorse district while he maintained relationships with all communities with the Tribal Nations and outside of the Tribal world. John was a very personable human being which he was recognized as 1 of 2 recipients to ever receive the Osage of the Year award (1977) and Vice President of the New Mexico Chapter of Physician’s Assistants, it didn’t end there for he received numerous achievements and recognitions throughout his life most recently he received recognition and was honored by the VFW in Ponca City as a Native American Combat Veteran.

John also served as cultural, language, and historical advisor to Mr. Martin Scorsese for the upcoming film “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

He was preceded in death by both parents Pete and Mary Williams of Fairfax,Ok, his brother Charles A. Goad Jr. and his sister Delores Barnett. He is survived by his wife Frances A. Williams of Fairfax, Ok, 3 children John W. Williams Jr. and wife Marjorie of Crownpoint, NM, daughter Stacey L. Williams of Fairfax, Nicholas J. Williams and Cindy Young of Fairfax. 14 Grandchildren, 10 Great-grandchildren numerous nieces and nephews.