Naomi Jean Bullock was born on 4 January 1929 at Mattoon, Coles, Illinois. She was the first child of four born to Albert and Lucille Bullock of Mattoon, IL. She was raised in Mattoon, and attended nursing school at West Suburban Hospital, Wheaton College, earning her RN degree 1949. She married Ray E McWilliams on 8 June 1952 at Mattoon, Coles, Illinois. To accommodate Ray's railroad career, they moved to Indianapolis, IN where Jean put her nursing career on hold while raising her 6 children. Sixteen years later, she returned to nursing and achieved her CCRN. She worked in critical care in several states; including IL, OH, IN, CO, and FL. She retired from hospital nursing in 1988, but continued private duty nursing until 1995 while living in FL. Even after retiring as an RN, she remained devoted to caring for others as a hospital volunteer at Central Florida Regional Hospital.
In the 90s, Jean volunteered as a classroom assistant, at Longwood Elementary School. Jean was a member of Northland Church of Longwood for over 20 years. For 15 years she volunteered at the Longwood Historical Society serving as a docent for the Bradlee McIntyre house. She was given the "Mary Bistline Award" for selfless dedication to the society in 2004. Because of her years of service to the city of Longwood, she and her husband were given the key to the city in 2006. Jean was married to her husband for 59 years, acting as secretary and assistant while he was president and chaplain of the 2nd Marine division, FL chapter.
Naomi Jean McWilliams died on 26 January 2013 at Winter Park, Orange, Florida, at age 84 and was buried on 31 January 2013 at Oaklawn Cemetery, Lake Mary, Seminole, Florida. |