Elaine Catherine (Heiring) Williams was born on May 20, 1934 in Farley, Iowa, to Alvina and Albert Heiring. She passed away peacefully at home on Feb 4, 2022, at age 87, after a long illness.

She is survived by her five children: Pamela (Sam) Pellegrino of Olympia, WA; Jeffrey (Sue) Pettera of Rockford, IL; Christine (Randy) Gagner of Roy, WA; Veronica McCann of Tacoma, WA; Julie (Edward) Quisenberry of San Antonio, TX; her sisters Darlene Rusch of Holy Cross, IA, and Joyce Salatino of Wauna, WA, and many grand-children and great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death was her beloved husband, David Williams, her parents and eight siblings: Sedelle Tegeler, Lucille (Lue) Heying, Helen Bakula, Mae McGuire, Donald Robert (“Doc”) Heiring, Gerald Lawrence (“Tink”) Heiring, Lois Ross, and Shirley Klein.

A beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, she will be sorely missed by her family. She was born on a farm in Iowa and lived there until her father moved to Holy Cross, Iowa, and opened a farming implement store, where she lived until her marriage to Dr. Robert Pettera, with whom she had her five children. She worked with him in his medical office until he was activated from the Army Reserves into active duty and stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. In the early 60’s, the entire family moved to Washington State.

After her divorce a few years later, she worked for a medical office, where she rediscovered her love for medicine. In 1967, she married the love of her life, David Williams, and the family moved to Centralia, WA. Shortly thereafter, she went back to school and realized her dream of becoming a nurse until she retired some 30 years later.

Her entire life was comprised of faith in God and giving to others, and this will be her biggest legacy. Not only was her medical career one that served others, but even after retirement, she continued to give, helping her children in their various businesses as partner, bartender, secretary, and file clerk; serving as a Red Cross Volunteer on the military base; volunteering at the Spanaway Food Bank; serving on committees in her senior park; and so much more.

She was always active and loved sports. Not only did she learn how to tap dance as a young girl, she played basketball in high school. Once she married David, she attended every home game of the University of Washington Husky football team for 40 years with him and then with her children and grandchildren. You could find her every Sunday afternoon watching the Seahawks, and she’d catch every Seattle Mariners game she could on TV. She never missed an Olympics broadcast, and we believe she’s thoroughly enjoying watching them from the best seat in the universe. Always involved with school sports, her children fondly remember every home game, match, and track meet she faithfully attended when they were in school.

Mom also loved music and passed this legacy onto her children, starting out singing in the car on long road trips—she would provide the harmony. Whenever she was with her family or ours, we could always find her singing in front of the piano or guitar, and she loved listening to her children play and sing, as we often did in church and other venues. Her piano playing was beautiful, so much so that she influenced two of us girls to play it as well. When her husband Dave was alive, they used to go dancing every week, gliding so beautifully across the dance floor and teaching us to dance as well.

She also loved crafting, and many weekends throughout the year, she and Chris would sell their wares at craft shows and holiday bazaars in the area. A little-known fact is that she loved acting, and she would often act in plays at the local playhouse in Centralia. Her grandkids will remember the weekends they spent with Grandpa and Grandma, trips to Wild Waves and Chuck E Cheese, and huge family holiday gatherings. All of her family and friends will remember her unwavering faith, love, generosity, caring, and kindness.

There will be many opportunities to share in her life and legacy at numerous services and celebrations of life:

Viewing/Vigil Service, 7 pm, Feb 22^nd at Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, 812 Bowker St SE, Lacey WA 98503

The Funeral Mass/Celebration of Life will be 10:30 am, Feb 23^rd, at Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, followed by reception nearby at Columbian Hall, 6794 Martin Way E, Olympia, WA 98516.

The interment Ceremony will be at 11:00 am Feb 24^th at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240^th St, Kent, WA. Procession will depart Woodlawn Funeral Home in Lacey at 9:15 am. Those who wish to attend should be lined up at Tahoma by 10:45.

Donations can be sent in her name to the Spanaway Food Bank or St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Arrangements were made through Forest Funeral Home – Shelton and Woodlawn Funeral Home, 5930 Mullen Rd SE, Lacey, WA 98503.

All of her family would like to thank the many friends, coworkers, and extended family for their outpouring of love and appreciation for mom’s life.