Rickie Eugene Williamson

Rickie Eugene Williamson, age 71, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2026, at the Hospice Home in High Point.

Rickie was truly a unique man, with colorful moods: from funny to fussy to angry to happy to demanding to silly to stubborn to generous to loving and kind. Yet he never let anything that came his way in life dispel his sense of humor. He was sent directly by God to Lewis John Williamson and Emma Lou Barrett Williamson. He arrived on May 2, 1955, as their seventh child and his last brother came in 1962.

Rickie lost his mother at an early age. He was 16 years old and was spending the day by her side. He had left the room for a short time, and when he returned she was gone. Thus began a period of great uncertainty in his young life, but God had his hand on Rickie. That same year, he attended a Christian camp where he gave his life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God never turns His back on His children.

Rickie was born in Bluefield, WV, and grew up in the mountains of Bramwell after spending his first six years in the “holler”. He would have loved to spend his whole life in the mountains, but even more than the mountains he loved his children, who were born to him and his first wife, Julia A. Jenkins. Her father, Warren Jenkins, taught Rickie how to drive a tractor trailer, thus launching his lifetime career. Only today, one of Rickie’s best friends stated that he was a really good tractor trailer driver. He was also an extremely hard-worker and generous to a fault.

Child-free in his twenties, Rickie’s thirties brought new life in the shape of a son and then a daughter. There was nothing he wouldn’t have done for them, that he could do. Joshua and Emma were his pride and joy from day one. Likewise, Rickie was good to other children in his life such as his nieces and nephews. No matter how old they grew, he cared about how and what they were doing.

When Rickie was in his forties, his first marriage ended yet he remained close with his children. All he ever wanted to do was to make life better for them. At this point, they were teenagers and he was thrilled that they wanted to take part in his second wedding with Margaret Holland Thompson. Emma sang a solo, “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee”. Joshua was a groomsman with special assignments to assist the new father-in-law and one of the bridesmaids. Hero of the day.

Rickie never let anyone prevent him from pursuing his favorite interests and activities. He was an avid golfer and bowler, but his favorite pastime was gardening. He planted many vegetables for as many years as he could. He also enjoyed cooking at times, hosting cookouts for oodles of people, maybe everyone we knew, including neighbors, friends, and family. In 2009, Rickie planned a family reunion, including both sides of his family. Who knows how many he invited, but more than 80 attended. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event which is unmatched to this day.

Certainly, all will miss these superior family gatherings. Even when Rickie became disabled, he was so family-oriented, the delight of checking on his family: children, siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends, never changed. Bravo, Rickie, the world was a better place because you were in it. Your hope is in the Lord.

Probably EVERYBODY knows that the extra spark in Rickie’s life arrived when he was in his fifties, a joy named Tabatha “Taby”. He was a natural at being Grandpa. He spent as much time with her as he could. So many Thanksgivings, birthdays, Christmases, cookouts, a trip to Disney World together, enriched their lives. When she was born, he visited her at the hospital, and, at the age of 17, she came to spend his final days with him.

Not apart from family, but to see multiple family members and friends, Rickie and Margaret embarked on trips, both short and long, but the most notable came in 2020, in the midst of the world pandemic: a drive across the country to visit his beloved niece, Lisa, and her family. Along the way and back were visits to his family near Nashville, Graceland, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Death Valley National Park, and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, where a lovely friend hosted us, a wonderful day in Albuquerque with dear friends, a wonderful dinner at the home of a special friend in Topeka, and lunch with a delightful friend in Missouri. It was the time to remember always.

Some might not know that Rickie’s favorite secular song was “Drift Away” by Uncle Kracker and Dobie Gray. His favorite Christian praise song was “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”. For one sweet day, this Tuesday, August 18, 2026, we won’t have any regrets, but we will celebrate the life of Rickie Eugene Williamson, a real treasure. If his dogs and cats could be there, they would tell you.

Preceding Rickie in death were his mother, Emma Lou Barrett Williamson; his father, Lewis John Williamson; his sister, Patsy Ann Williamson Cox; his brothers, James Arthur Williamson, Lewis John Williamson, Jr., and Larry Douglas Williamson.

Surviving and looking forward to the day that we will join him and our Lord for eternity, are his wife, who loves him so, Margaret Holland Thompson Williamson; his daughter, Emma Frances Williamson Deering (Daniel); his son, Joshua Warren Williamson Buckhannon (Carlton); his granddaughter, Tabatha Rosilynne Deering; his sisters, Brenda Louise Williamson Honaker and Shirley Joyce Williamson Ratliff; his brother, Leonard Ray Williamson (Christie); his stepmother, Joyce Williamson; his stepsisters, Sandy Blevins Mathena, Sharon Blevins, Leslie Blevins Graham (Steve), and Melissa Blevins Cox (Michael); his stepbrother, John David Blevins; nieces, Lisa Williamson Ballan (Milo), Kimberly Ratliff Freeman, Becky Ratliff Caudill (Norman), Kathy Williamson Burton, and Melissa A. Hobbs-Cox; nephews, Steve Honaker, Scott Williamson, James “Jimmy” Williamson, Timothy Cox, Michael Cox (Melissa), Donnie Cox (Megan), William Ratliff (Sandy), Christopher Davis, Jonathan Williamson (Niloun Linda), and Justin Williamson (Nicole).

In addition, there are a host of precious great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews.

A Graveside Service to celebrate Rickie's life will be held at 12:00pm on August 18, 2026, at Westhampton Memorial & Cremation Park in Richmond, Va.

Friends, we count them like the stars.

Never forget that your father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend loves you so very much. We love you too, Rickie.

Nicholson Funerals & Cremations, Thomasville Chapel is honored to serve the Williamson family.