Anita M. Mccoskey Williams

Anita Risdon McCoskey Williams, Corpus Christi, Texas, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 2, 2023 at the age 84.   Anita was born on August 13,1938 to Robert Wayne and Elia Mae Risdon in Goodwell, Oklahoma.

At the age of four, Anita's father passed away.  Later Elia Mae and Anita married, "Daddy Herman" Schuneman.  The family moved to a farm in rural Udall, Kansas where Anita attended school and excelled in basketball, softball, cheerleading, band and academics. As a high school student, Anita was sometimes called upon to direct the high school band in absence of the teacher, and she led music at a church in Udall. She graduated as the Salutatorian of her class from Udall Rural High School and then graduated from American Business College in Wichita.

On August 28, 1958, Anita married Clifford L. McCoskey.  Anita and Clifford moved to Altamont, Kansas in 1968.  Anita worked as secretary for the principal at Labette County High School and later as secretary at the USD 506 Board of Education office.

Anita went back to college and graduated from Labette Community College in 1983.  Then in 1984 graduated Magne Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wichita State University and a Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders and Science in 1986.  In 1984, Anita was awarded the N.S.S.L.H.A. Outstanding Undergraduate Clinician of the Year.

After receiving her Master's degree, Anita was employed as a Speech and Language Pathologist by the Southeast Kansas Special Education Coop in Pittsburg, Kansas, serving students in the Columbus, Kansas, school district.

After the death of her husband, Clifford, Anita moved from Altamont to Columbus. She was well respected by administrators, colleagues, and community members, but was loved by her students, who sometimes referred to her as "Miss Speech."

After retiring from her career in special education, Anita married Verle D. Williams.

Anita was preceded in death by her father, Robert W. Risdon and her mother, Elia Mae Schuneman, her stepfather Herman W. Schuneman, her first husband, Clifford L. McCoskey, her second husband, Verle D. Williams, and a brother, Jack H. Schuneman.

Anita is survived by her daughter, Rita Lawson and husband, Scott, of Corpus Christi, TX, and her son Todd W. McCoskey, of Altamont, KS.  Other survivors are her grandchildren, Amy Perry (Matthew) of Corpus Christi, TX, Adam Lawson (Adrienne) of Somerville, MA, Andrew Lawson (Kayla) of Pahoa, HI, Taylor McCoskey (Bonnie) of Decatur, IL, and Alyssa Parrigon (Justin) of Ozark, MO; her 12 great grandchildren, Eliot, Quinn, Josie, Clifford, Wai, Jace, Rhys, Marlow, Macklin, Abigail, Lydia, and Magnolia, and is also survived by a brother, Donald W. Schuneman of Wichita, KS.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, June 7th at 2:00 PM at the Grace Baptist Church in Altamont, KS.  A graveside service will follow. Memorial gifts may be made in Anita's honor to LifeChoices in Joplin, MO, Pregnancy Center of the Coastal Bend in Corpus Christi, TX, or Grace Baptist Church. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.

Services are under the direction of Forbes Hoffman Funeral Home.