Juanita June Williams

June Williams

September 24, 1932 to August 21st, 2014

Juanita “June” Williams, 81, passed away surrounded by her family, Thursday August 21st, 2014. She and her husband Knox were married for over 62 years, and had three beautiful children.

Born on Sept. 24, 1932, to Roy and Opal Wood in Gypsy, Oklahoma, June was the eldest of her siblings: Charles Wood, Nell Wright, and Betty Wright. The family moved to Bakersfield, Calif., where June met Knox, who was working part time selling Westmoreland sterling silverware while attending junior college. After she and Knox married in 1951, they moved to Santa Barbara for June to complete her Bachelors degree at UCSB; her passion for learning, teaching and reading were evident throughout her life.

In 1961 Knox and June purchased the Rayne franchise in North County and moved to Carlsbad. For more than 20 years they were members of First Presbyterian Church of Oceanside; when a church was established in Carlsbad, they became members of Christ Presbyterian Church of Rancho La Costa. They were founding members of the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation, and generous with their time, talent and treasure to many other local organizations and causes. Some years ago, June was honored as Woman of the Year by the City of Carlsbad.

Throughout their marriage, Knox and June loved to travel, both to explore far away places and to spend time with loved ones. Together they visited over 50 countries and most of the 50 states, but Santa Barbara was closest to June’s heart; they’ve maintained a residence there for more than 30 years and visited frequently in the months preceding her death.

In addition to her husband, June leaves behind her twin daughters, Jodi Williams Wallis and her husband Rusty, of Carlsbad, and Jeri Williams Colaw and her husband Superior Court Judge Thierry Colaw, of Laguna Nigel; grandsons Case Colaw, J.D., Clayton Colaw, Eric Wallis, and granddaughter Jana Wallis. June is also survived by her AFS exchange student daughter Maureen Piggot, OBE, of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Maureen’s two children, Becky of London, and Jamie and his wife Emma, of Brisbane, Australia.

Preceding her in death was her youngest child, Drue Knox Williams, who passed away in November of 1999. It is a great comfort to know they are now reunited in peace.

June, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, will be greatly missed, but adoringly remembered. To those who knew her, she always had her ducks in order. “To live in the hearts of others is not to die.”

There will be a celebration of life service at First Presbyterian Church of Oceanside on Saturday September 20th 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Madeleline Sophie’s Center www.stmsc.org, Noah Homes www.noahhomes.org, or the charity of your choice.