Frances Carolyn Williams

Frances Carolyn Williams Battle Creek Frances Carolyn Williams, a very active member of the Battle Creek area died Saturday, July 18 at the age of 88. Four members of her loving family were at her side, and had maintained an ongoing vigil at her bedside for three weeks, as her condition declined following complications from surgery. Frances is the daughter of Carlton and Mabel Williams. She is survived by her five children, Stuart Williams of New York City; Susan Rowan of Puyallup, Washington; Kathy Williams of Portland, Oregon; Cynthia Rowlands of Glendale, Arizona; and Eric Williams of Pasadena, California. She also leaves behind five grandchildren and one great grandchild. Frances Williams and her husband, George Nelson Williams, were married for 62 years. He died in 2004. George Williams was a highly regarded architect whose work has been well known throughout Southern Michigan. Together, Frances and George raised their five children, and were socially active in the community. Frances was a dedicated member of numerous organizations, including P.E.O. and the P.T.A. She and her husband were also members of the Athelston Club and Merrywood Country Club. She enjoyed entertaining, and she and George often hosted dinner parties at their home. For many years, Frances enjoyed participating in art fairs throughout the region, often in conjunction with her daughter, Cynthia. She was a skilled artisan and for many years sold her jewelry and artifacts throughout the area. In the 1970's, an art director at Kellogg's noticed her work, and commissioned her to create a replica of Tony the Tiger. She met her future husband during graduation ceremonies at Battle Creek Central High School in 1940. Her maiden name was Williams, and she and George Williams were in alphabetical order during the ceremonies, which lead to a romance and marriage that lasted for a lifetime. Frances had planned to pursue a career in fashion design in Chicago, but her path changed upon meeting George. Her interest and talent in design was undoubtedly part of the enduring bond between them. Together they created a lovely home environment for their family, and over the years filled their home with a collection of now historic furnishings from Herman Miller, which are today considered icons of mid-century American design, and are represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Frances went back to work when her five children were grown, and was for many years the assistant to the curator at the Kingman Museum. Earlier, she worked for several years in the administrative offices of Kellogg Community College. During World War Two, she worked as a telephone operator in Battle Creek. Also, during the war, she and George lived for many months in Stillwater, OK, as George was enrolled in an officer's training program at the University of Oklahoma. In her personal life, nothing was more important to Frances than her family. She and her husband were loving and dedicated parents. Once her five children had grown up and moved away, she and George enjoyed making frequent trips to visit them. Since four of her children had relocated to the West Coast, this gave Frances and her husband the opportunity to get to know another region of the country. Over many years they loved visiting California and Oregon, as well as Washington State. They particularly enjoyed becoming familiar with Portland, Oregon and many family Christmas gatherings took place in that beautiful city. Southern California was another frequent destination for them. One favorite destination, to which they frequently returned, is the Wayfarers Chapel just south of Manhattan Beach, California. This seaside, all glass cathedral, sits on a dramatic mountainside, with a sweeping panoramic view of the Pacific coastline. The chapel was designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. Because both Frances and her husband so loved the setting of the Wayfarers Chapel, her immediate family is planning a memorial service that will take place there in the coming months. The family is making a donation to the non-denominational chapel, and Frances and her husband George will have their names inscribed on a memorial plaque that sits in a beautiful garden overlooking the sea. The plaque will read: "In loving memory of Frances and George Williams, husband and wife for 62 years." Earth from their joint burial site in Battle Creek, will be transported to California and sprinkled on the ground next to the memorial plaque. Frances will be buried next to her husband, George, at the Fort Custer National Cemetery. In honor of the memory of Frances C. Williams, a memorial tea reception will be hosted by her children, here in Battle Creek, on Thursday, July 23 at Northpointe Woods at 3 p.m. It will be held in the Fireside Room. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Kairos Dwelling, Kalamazoo, MI, 2945 Gull Road, 49048. Arrangements by the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.