Vivian Williams

Vivian E. Williams, 84 year old resident of Little Falls, MN died at home with her family present on Monday, July 23, 2007. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, July 28th, at the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls with Rev. Tom Mundahl officiating. Interment will take place at a later date at the Cushing Union Cemetery in Cushing, MN. Vivian Elizabeth Williams was born to Julius and Julia Williamsen in Chicago, Il on May 5, 1923. She attended schools in Chicago and Minneapolis before moving to the Cushing area and later attended high school in Little Falls. After graduation, Vivian worked as an inspector for Honeywell in Minneapolis and then as a payroll clerk for the U.S. Government in Skagway, Alaska. In 1944, Vivian married John M. Thompson in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and moved to the Yukon Territory where both her children, Jaxine and Daniel, were born. After returning to Minnesota she married James Ray Williams. The family lived at their resort near Cushing and also in Brownsville, Texas, before settling in Little Falls. During her husband’s lengthy illness, Vivian worked for 16 years as a bookkeeper at Von’s Supply Co. She also was employed for four years at the University of Minnesota before returning to Little Falls where she resided for the past 23 years. Vivian’s curiosity and love of learning expressed itself in her desire to travel and in community education classes. In addition to living in Brownsville, TX and Phoenix, AZ, Canada and Mexico, she took several trips to Europe. Always active in sports, Vivian took yoga classes, cross-country skied, golfed, and enjoyed swimming and weight lifting at St. Francis Recreation Center. Community activities included coordinating her Little Falls High School graduating class annual reunions for the past 30 years, the Cushing Women’s Club, and the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary. Vivian’s vivacious spirit, ready smile and positive spirit were apparent to all who met her. Over her career as a homemaker, business owner, employee, and retiree, she stayed in contact with numerous co-workers, friends and relatives. Throughout Vivian’s life she never shrank from what she knew to be right, and she courageously challenged the establishment on age discrimination and home ownership for single women and won. Part of her legacy will be her courageous spirit, her immense generosity and her love for her children, family, and dear friends. She is survived by her children, Jaxine Norlander of Stillwater, MN and Daniel Thompson & wife, Louise, of Azores, Portugal; a brother, Earl Williamsen of Little Falls, MN. Preceded in death by her parents; husband, James Ray Williams.

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Vivian Williams

May 5, 1923 - July 23, 2007