Barbara Ann Williams was born on August 21, 1937, in Los Angeles, CA to Andrew Vincent Minardi and Mary Emogene Coughlin. She lived most of her life in Orange County, CA, and was a graduate of Garden Grove High School in Garden Grove, CA.
She married Edward Lee Williams on March 20, 1956, in Carlsbad, New Mexico. They lived briefly in Texas, but settled in Orange County, CA until moving to Mesa, AZ from 1964 – 1966, and then to Fresno, CA and their divorce in 1969. They had 3 children: Kimberly Jean, Tracy Robert, and Steven Vincent, all born in Orange County, CA.
Barbara, Emogene (her mother) and the 3 children then returned to Huntington Beach, CA, where she remained in the same home for 52 years. She worked for 34 years in the Cement Masons’ Local Union #52 until her retirement in 2004, raising the 3 children as a single parent with the help of her mother. She was able to enjoy many years with her 3 California grandchildren, Jenna Zottarelli, Jenae Griffin, and Nick Williams, sharing in carpooling them to school and seeing them participate in various activities and welcoming 2 of her 5 great-grandchildren. After her retirement, Barbara was very active in the LDS Church and had many very dear friends there.
Sadly, in 2021 the time came to leave some of her family and her many, many friends to live with her daughter, Kim and her cat Kallie in Hillsboro, OR, and to finally be closer to her family in the Pacific Northwest. She truly enjoyed getting closer to 2 of her grandchildren, Ryan Patton and Tori Roloff, and shared in the joy of 3 of her great grandchildren joining our family. We were also visited by Tracy to see us safely settled, and granddaughter Jenae and her family twice. It was such a joy for her to be able to spend that extra time with her granddaughter and great-grandchildren, and to meet Jenae’s husband, Jason.
She was also able to enjoy living closer to her son, Steven Williams and beloved wife, Amy, and loved the precious time they spent with her visiting weekly. Family was always everything for “Marmee.” Unfortunately, she became very ill in November 2022, and never fully recovered, although she really gave us a run for the money by “graduating” from Hospice in May 2023 – they kicked her out for living! - before having to re-enter Hospice in October 2024. She died on December 23, 2024, in Hillsboro, OR in her own home, at the age of 87. At her request she was cremated without services.
Barbara is survived by her 3 children Kim (Gary) Patton, Tracy Williams, Steve (Amy) Williams, 5 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren, who will all greatly miss her infinite kindness, generosity, patience and love.
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