Jeffrey Donald Williams
June 06, 1969 - April 12, 2010
In Loving Memory
“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart... I’ll always be with you.”-- A. A. Milne
Jeff was born on June 6, 1969 to Gwen and Dan Williams and was raised in Walnut Creek, California. When Jeff was a child he loved Star Wars, super heroes and any noble cause that included epic fight scenes of good versus evil.
In high school he was taken under the wing of his science teacher Bob Campbell and joined him and the school hiking group on many backpacking trips starting a love of the wilderness that stayed with Jeff throughout his life. Through these hiking expeditions Jeff learned perseverance, motivation, and became aware of his own personal strength, a strength that he would call on much later to help with his epic battles with cancer.
In addition to the outdoors, Jeff loved sports. In junior college, he played on a co-ed softball team with Jennifer Swisher and they quickly became friends. One day at Jennifer’s house, Jeff saw a picture of Vanessa Ray who had been Jennifer’s best friend since kindergarten and he saw something so special in that picture that he asked Jennifer to introduce them. Even though Jennifer swore they didn’t have anything in common she introduced them the day after Vanessa’s 24th birthday on November 21, 1992 and they were married June 22, 1996.
On a trip to Washington, they fell in love with the greenery and beauty of the state and moved here in the summer of 1999. Many happy memories were made camping and traveling on trips throughout the US and Europe.
Both Jeff and Vanessa always loved animals and in 2001 they adopted their beloved Lasso Apso Coco. Jeff and Vanessa’s happiest moment was the birth of their daughter Madeline Josephine who made their family complete.
Jeff was knowledgeable in just about every subject, especially Harry Potter, all things Disney, sports, and Star Wars. He always loved a good costume and never missed a chance to dress up on Halloween and other holidays.
He had such a love of sweets and chocolates and maybe that helped him have such a sweet outlook on life, even when faced with life’s problems.
In Jeff’s battle with cancer he proved to be more heroic than his childhood heroes, charming every doctor and nurse who came in contact with him. His positive attitude will never be forgotten. He will be missed dearly by all who knew him, but especially by his loving wife, sweet daughter and devoted dog.
FUNERAL INFORMATION
Please join us in celebrating Jeff’s life on Saturday May 8, 2010 at 10am at St. Albert Church, Berkeley, followed by a gathering at The Claremont Hotel at 12pm. Flowers in Jeff's honor may be sent to St. Albert Church.
DONATIONS
Donations may be made to Madeline Williams' Chase account Use the PayPal for Madeline link, go to “Send Money” and enter jeffandvanessawilliams@comcast.net as the email address to send to.
Donations may also be made to the ALS Association, in memory of Barbara J Wicks, for John Wicks volunteer and friend who gave so much of his time helping Jeff and Vanessa.
Memorial
Funeral Blues
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, (Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, (Silence the pianos and with muffled drum (Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. ((Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead (Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead. (Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves, (Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. ((He was my North, my South, my East and West, (My working week and my Sunday rest, (My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; (I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong. ((The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, (Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun, (Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods; (For nothing now can ever come to any good.
W.H. Auden