Eleanor Eden Williams

Eleanor Eden Williams

AGE: 92 • Highland Park

Eleanor Eden Williams, a lifelong resident of Highland Park NJ, has passed away at the age of 92. She was the daughter of Edwin Winfield Eden, a former mayor of Highland Park, and Elizabeth Malmros Eden, a former Mrs. Highland Park. Eleanor was born on March 28, 1919. She attended elementary school in Highland Park, high school in New Brunswick, and the New Jersey College for Women, "Douglas," where she majored in economics and education. After graduation she became an accountant for Chicopee, a Division of Johnson and Johnson, and over the years rose to a management position as senior accountant. She had in her life been both a girl-scout and cub-scout leader, PTA president, and a Gray Lady during World War II. She also taught accounting and economics at Douglas College. She enjoyed politics, history and genealogy contributing to oral histories and stories of the growth of the region. Her maternal and paternal grandfathers served simultaneously on the city council representing different parties and political philosophies creating many "interesting" conversations around the dinner table. The Reformed Church of Highland Park played a prominent role in all of Eleanor's life. Her maternal grandparents had been founding members of the church. She both attended and taught Sunday school and was a youth group leader. She had many happy memories meeting with the women's group (Circle B), making candles, working at bazaars and helping to cater wedding receptions. She was honored to serve as a deacon and to participate with the consistory. Working with other leaders of the church she and her sister Margaret helped fund and select the designs for many of the stained glass windows in the sanctuary. She also worked with many of the other churchwomen on conserving the historic quilts of the church now on display in the church's meeting room. In recent years she has enjoyed the diversity of membership, camaraderie and music that fills the church. After retiring from Johnson and Johnson in 1980 she continued to lead an active life. In that year she and her son Richard restored and reopened an historic ice cream and candy shop and named it The Corner Confectionary. She spent the next 12 years treating folks from far and near to goodies and stories from behind the soda fountain and became known as the "Ice Cream Lady." Many young people in Highland Park started their first job serving ice cream sundaes and milk shakes under Eleanor's supervision. After selling the business she spent a year at home and then went back to work behind the counter of Saiff Drugs, another local Highland Park business.

Eleanor was married 13 years, when her husband Elwood Leroy Williams a WWII veteran passed away in 1964. She was predeceased by two sisters, Dorothy Eden, and Margaret Quaranta, and 3 brothers Edwin, Theodore, and Donald Eden. She is survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Frederick and Virginia Eden, of Cranbury, NJ, and a sister in-law Florence Eden of Tampa, Florida. She has many nieces and nephews around NJ and other states. She is also survived by a son, Richard E Williams of Albuquerque, NM and a daughter and son in law, Dorothy Eleanor Maitland, and Roger Edward Maitland of Edison, NJ. She has also a granddaughter, Ralynne Elizabeth Maitland - Hanna, and grandson in Law, John Patrick Hanna; and a grandson Rustin Erik Maitland.

Her Memorial Service will be held at the Highland Park Reformed Church in Highland Park, NJ on Saturday July 2nd at 10am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the Highland Park Reformed Church or The American Auto Immune and Related Diseases Association.