Eleanor Williams

Eleanor Barlow Williams

55 year resident of San Mateo

October 9, 1916 - October 8, 2010

Eleanor Williams (Mrs. Frank P. Williams) died peacefully in her sleep of natural causes October 8, 2010 at her home in San Mateo, California, at age 94, under the care of her daughter Mary Anne Williams.

Eleanor was well known in San Mateo County where she worked for over 25 years as a Social Worker in foster home placement, and as a juvenile probation officer.

Eleanor was born in Ogden, Utah, and attended elementary school there before moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, with her parents, George Walker Barlow, and Marilla Hunter Barlow, where she graduated from East High School. Quite precocious, she entered the University of Utah at age 15 and graduated in 1936 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She obtained a Graduate Degree in Social Work at the University of Utah in 1943, while working as a WW-II Red Cross case worker and raising her first two children, Robert and Stephen.

An avid skier, she had met and married another skier and University of Utah graduate, Frank P Williams, in 1936. They raised and are survived by a family of 5 children, Robert Williams-San Jose, CA; George Stephen Williams- Red Bluff, CA; Frances Williams Spear- Chico, CA; Janet Williams Youngblood-Idaho Falls, ID; and Mary Anne Williams-San Mateo, CA. Eleanor is also survived by six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, and by her sister Marilla Barlow Bagby of Litchfield Park, Arizona, and her deceased brother's wife, Mary Brown Barlow, of Philadelphia, Pa.

Eleanor, Frank, and family achieved a major dream by moving from Utah to Northern California in 1955. Settling first in Salinas, California, they moved to San Mateo, California in the Fall of 1956 when Frank obtained work in San Francisco as a Chemical Engineer and process design engineer with Western Knapp Engineering (WKE). WKE specialized in plants for processing non ferrous minerals such as copper and uranium. For about 25 years, Frank, WKE, and later A.G. McKee (acquired WKE) designed and built numerous plants in the Western US and Australia. Eleanor pursued her career in San Mateo County Social work, while Frank built processing plants until both retired to their San Mateo home in 1981.

Eleanor had a life long interest in music and education, and will be remembered by her friends and family for her intelligence and her cheerful good humor. At Eleanor's request no funeral or graveside service is planned. Arrangements for a memorial service to celebrate her life are pending later this Fall. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made in her name to Attention: Eleanor Barlow Williams Fund, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Utah, 540 Arapeen Drive Suite 250, Salt Lake City Utah 84108-1238, or contact Ms. Lisa Himonas, 801-587-8387.