Jeannette Williams

Jeannette E. Williams, age 87, mother, grandmother and inspirational role model to all who knew her, died peacefully in Oshkosh on June 22, 2012. Best remembered for her grace, dignity and intelligent calmness in the face of every challenge, Jeannette Williams was an avid partner and enthusiastic participant in the activities of her husband, Russell F. Williams, and their five children. Born in Jasper, Alabama, on October 29, 1924, Elizabeth Jeannette Ellis was the only child of Radford Hall Ellis and Jean Hastings Ellis. She grew up in Alabama, graduating with honors from Auburn University with a B.S. degree in medical technology. She was a demure Southern belle and president of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. She met her future husband, then Army Lieutenant Russ Williams, in 1944 while she was a student at Auburn and he was at the Army Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. They fell in love, decided they wanted to have five children, and signed their love letters with two big exclamation points followed by five smaller ones symbolizing the family they hoped to have.In November 1945, at the end of World War II, Lieutenant Williams was ordered to Nuremburg, Germany with the U. S. Army of Occupation. He promptly persuaded the head of the Nuremberg General American Hospital to requisition by name medical technician Jeannette Ellis through the War Department in Washington, D.C. In August 1946, she was requisitioned and sailed on the first post war civilian ship, the George Washington, to Bremerhaven where she was finally reunited with Lt. Williams. They were married on September 17, 1946 in Regensburg, Germany, and spent their honeymoon skiing and sailing at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps. After the war, the couple moved to Cambridge, England where Russ studied law at Cambridge University and Jeannette worked in the University library. Their next move was to Oshkosh where she had never been before. In 1950 the exclamation points began arriving, and Jeannette threw herself into family and community activities, raising her burgeoning family while working in real estate, construction, insurance, and serving as the manager of Fox River Marina for over thirty years. She helped change the landscape of Oshkosh with real estate developments such as Nicolet Anchorage and Huntington Downs. Jeannette recently said that her favorite occupation was being a mother and also described her full life as never bored but occasionally tired.Jeannette was also active in PEO, League of Women Voters, AAUW, Kiwanis, and sponsoring displaced persons from Europe after World War II. She also was involved in Cub Scouts, Campfire Girls, PTA and 4H. She traveled throughout the world and as her children spanned out, visited them wherever they attended school and at their homes in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, the Bahamas, and Italy. Jeannette is survived by her five children: Carolyn Hastings Williams (Colin Walsh), Charles Ellis Williams, Nancy Williams Batchelor (Jon), Susan Williams Everhard (Robert) and Russell Fisher Williams II (Amy). Jeannette is survived by eleven grandchildren: John and Matt Williams; Lucas Andersen; Christopher and Carolyn Batchelor; Robbie, Meg and Rusty Everhard; and George, Grace and Ginny Williams. She is also survived by her cousin, Nancy G. Inman, and sister-in-law, Charlotte Williams Mundy.Services will be held on Friday, June 29, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, 137 Algoma Blvd in Oshkosh. Family and friends may call at the church on Friday, June 29, from 9:00 a.m. until the funeral service. Internment will be at 2:00 p.m. at Lakeview Memorial Park, 2786 Algoma Blvd.The Williams Family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to caregivers Audrey Naparalla, Carol Dodge, Bethany Busch, and Athena Schaefer; Eric Duwell, M.D. and his staff and to the staffs of Oshkosh Adult Day Center, Aurora Medical Center, Evergreen Rehabilitation, Bella Vista Manor and Generations Hospice.Memorials may be directed to the Jeannette E. Williams Memorial Fund at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, 230 Ohio St. Oshkosh, WI 54902 that will be supporting local charities to benefit children and seniors.

First Congregational Church



137 Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh
WI
54901

Friday, June 29, 2012
9:00 a.m. until time of service



First Congregational Church



137 Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh
WI
54901

Friday, June 29, 2012
11:00 AM



Lake View Memorial Park



2786 Algoma Blvd
Oshkosh
WI
54901