Mrs. Lois E. Williams

Lois Ellen Dodson was born to Perry Dodson and Anna (Snyder) Dodson on August 22, 1951 in Kentucky where her father was stationed in the Army. She had one sister, Maybelle (Roy) Dutton and two brothers, Henry Dodson and Jerald (Susan) Dodson. The Army moved them around until Perry retired and settled in Olympia when Lois was in fourth grade.

She attended Roosevelt Elementary, Washington Junior High, and graduated from Olympia High School. She received an Associate’s Degree from Centralia College.

Her family attended a little country church, where she gave her heart to Jesus and where she met and married David Williams on December 18, 1970. Dave and Lois had two children Jena (Adam) Cole and Bradley (Rebecca) Williams. Family was everything to Lois. She was a wonderful grandmother to her seven grandchildren who range in age from twenty-two to seven, Zachary (now Elizabeth), Ryan, Wyatt, Simeon, Anna and her bonus grandkids, Percy and Emily. She saw the unique qualities in each of her kids and grandkids and did her best to encourage and nurture those abilities. She truly enjoyed going to all their concerts, sporting events, recitals and plays.

She held a variety of jobs starting at Taco Time, and eventually retiring from Washington State Service as an Administrative Assistant in April 2018. She got bored being retired and went back for several special projects that she thoroughly enjoyed.

Family life included a lot of camping with the kids and grandkids and celebrating each birthday and holiday together. Christmas at David and Lois’ rivaled Christmas at the North Pole with the way Lois decorated, the piles of gifts, the food and especially the love. Family was so important to Lois that each year she would rent a giant house, usually at a beach somewhere, to take the whole family for vacation. Her only ask was that Rebecca and Jena would cook. We have wonderful memories of those trips.

During their younger married years, David and Lois fell away from the Lord, but He was still working in their lives drawing not only them, but their kids to him. David felt a call to ministry and went back to school to get a degree in Theology. For about 10 years, he pastored in small churches and Lois was a pastor’s wife. David’s big heart failed and he passed away on November 4, 2016, just a month short of their 46th wedding anniversary.

Lois moved into a smaller house that she could keep up by herself and she threw herself into making it a beautiful home. She was so creative. She enjoyed painting watercolors, doing crafts with the grandchildren, gardening, and especially travel. Over the years, she earned many trips through working home party plans like House of Lloyd. She was able to take the family on vacations like Hawaii and Disney World. She and David travelled to the Caribbean and the western coast of Mexico. Later she traveled to Israel with her church family, Costa Rica with her grandson Wyatt, and a Caribbean cruise with her friends. She had so many plans and places she wanted to go. Two weeks after she was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer, she and Wyatt were supposed to leave for a cruise to Alaska. Unfortunately, that vacation could not happen.

Our dear mother, grandmother, sister, and friend passed away on April 2, 2023 surrounded by her children and grandchildren. We will miss her so much, but we know she is at peace with her Lord and Savior, Jesus. In her last days, she said several times, as lovely as heaven will be, she doesn’t know how she’ll be able to take the time to visit with loved ones and see its beauty because she thinks she’ll never want to leave Jesus’s side.

The Celebration of Her Life will be held at Mountain View Church in Tumwater on Monday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. All are welcome.