Mary Alice Williams, 84
ADAMS, Mass. — Mary Alice Williams, 84, of 116 Commercial St. died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, at North Adams Regional Hospital.
Born in North Adams on May 8, 1929, a daughter of William T. Gomeau Sr. and Alice M. Howland Gomeau, she attended local schools and graduated from Drury High School with the class of 1946.
Mrs. Williams was employed by the North Adams School Department from 1962 until retiring 1993.
She was a member and past president of the Ladies' Auxiliary of Dr. George L. Curran Post 996 VFW and a past president of Berkshire County District 9 VFW Ladies' Auxiliary. She also was the deputy representative for the Department of Massachusetts Ladies' VFW Auxiliary, VAVS, in Northampton. She was a longtime member of the Frank R. Stiles Post 125 American Legion Ladies' Auxiliary and was a member of the former Mountain Chapter 137 Order of Eastern Star. She also served on the North Adams Retirement Board.
Her husband, Franklin A. "Sonny" Williams, whom she married on June 7, 1947, in the former St. Francis' Rectory, died on May 25, 2003.
She leaves three daughters, Patricia A. Folino and her husband, Lawrence, and Kathleen G. "Kate" Harrington and her husband, Marshal, all of Cheshire, and Minetta M. Strauser and her husband, John, of Adams; a son, Richard F. Williams and his partner, Deborah DeGreave, of Adams; three sisters, Peggy A. Bertoli and her husband, George, of Port Orange, Fla., Susan Blay of Arlington, Vt., and Yasmine Sarkis of North Adams; her grandchildren Robert J. Burridge and his wife, Sabine, Colby R. Harrington and his partner, Melissa Marsh, Sherri L. Gordon and her husband, Mitchell, Lisa I. Williams and her partner, Travis Moran, Alexander R. Stauser, Bryan R. Folino and his wife, Lisa, Bonnie L. Whitney and her husband, Christopher, and Vicki J. Monday; great-grandchildren Joseph, Cassandra, Steven, Caleb, Carson, Kayla, Sydney, Ethan, Kendall, Kayla, Jessica, Kyle, Britney, Steven and Matthew; her great-great-grandson, Sandro; two sisters-in-law, Joan Gomeau and Margaret Paradise; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews.
She also leaves two former daughters-in-law, Helen Roberts and Marian Rennell, with whom she remained very close, and her two very special friends Mary E. Risch and Johanna Risch.
She was predeceased by her brother William T. Gomeau Jr. and her great-grandson, Ian Richard Lemaire.
FUNERAL NOTICE — The funeral for Mrs. Williams will be Monday, March 3, at 11 a.m. at Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521West Main St., North Adams. Burial will follow in Bellevue Cemetery in Adams.
Calling hours will be Sunday, March 2, from 2 to 6, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to POP Cares or to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary 996 earmarked for cancer aid and research program in care of the funeral home.