Althea Edna Williams

Her family and friends mourn the loss and celebrate the extraordinary life of Colonel Althea E. Williams (Ret.) who died on July 7th at the age of 97.

When she retired from the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1970, Col. Williams was one of the highest ranking women in the Army. She was honored with a military parade at the Presidio of San Francisco and her virtues extolled. “Rarely in these troubled times do we find a woman of such outstanding ability, love of service to mankind and devotion to God and country as is exemplified in the ideals, life and service of that noble American gentle-woman, Colonel Althea E. Williams.”

Born in Platteville, Colorado, she grew up on the family ranch and in Fort Collins. She was graduated from the Beth-El School of Nursing in Colorado Springs in 1941.

In 1942, Althea Williams entered the Army Nurse Corps, eventually nursing sick and wounded soldiers in three wars.

In WW II, she served primarily in the Pacific: Australia, New Guinea, Netherlands East Indies and the Philippines.

After WW II, she separated from the service and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics from Colorado State University in 1948, and a second B.S. Degree with high distinction in Occupational Therapy in 1949.

During the Korean War, she again entered the Army Nurse Corps and served with the 279th General Hospital in Japan. Col. Williams received her Master’s Degree in Hospital Administration from Baylor University under Army sponsorship in 1960.

In Vietnam, she was the Chief Nurse of the United States Army, Vietnam and received the Legion of Merit for her lifesaving work. In presenting that award, given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements, General Creighton Abrams said, “Her careful placement of key nursing personnel throughout the theater led to maximum efficiency in the provision of the highest level of medical care.”

During her long military career, she served in numerous assignments in the United States, Europe and Asia, including Chief Nurse at Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania, Chief Nurse of the First Army, based in New York, and Chief Nurse at Madigan General Hospital in Washington State. For her final posting in 1969, Col. Williams was Chief Nurse, Sixth Army, based in California, and was awarded the Legion of Merit with an Oak Leaf Cluster upon her retirement.

Althea received the “Honor Alumni” award from Colorado State University and continued her life of service after returning to Fort Collins. She lived with and supported her mother, Mrs. Grace V. Williams. She was on the board of the Visiting Nurse Association and the Larimer County Chapter of the Red Cross. She chaired the Emergency Preparedness Committee of the District Nurses Association and was active on the board of Park Lane Towers where she lived until she died.

Althea Williams is survived by her sister, Theda, and her nephews, Murl, Jerry and Randy Williams, and Barry Ensminger. A graveside service with Full Military Honors will be held at Platteville Mizpah Cemetery in Platteville, CO. on October 6, 2018 at 11:00 AM. A notice will be placed in this newspaper a week before the funeral.