Mary Helen Williams

Mary Helen was born on May 3, 1937 in Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada to the late Joseph LeFort and Marie Cecile (Cormier) LeFort. Raised in Inverness, she graduated from Stella Maris Convent School. She then moved to Toronto, where she attended secretarial school and worked at Canada Life Insurance Co. It was there that Mary met her husband, Albert Williams, whom she married in 1959.

The job market brought them from Windsor, Ontario to Roseville, MI before the family made Shrewsbury, MA home in 1964. Mary and Al purchased a home in the warm and welcoming neighborhood of Worthington Avenue, where they made many lifelong friends and raised their three children: Derek, Laura, and Paul.

The family was blessed with a close-knit community and attended services at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church regularly. Mary’s faith was integral in seeing her through her many health challenges throughout her life.

Mary worked at UMASS Medical School in Social Services. In retirement, she stayed busy volunteering in the church of each community that they resided in.

Mary was an avid gardener and had a “green thumb.” Her many hobbies included painting, knitting, crocheting, sewing, hooking, and thrifting with her sister Hermine. She was an accomplished ice skater and artist, creating a lifelong love of crafting in her children and grandchildren, with whom she always kept close to and played a significant role in their upbringing.

Mary was adored by her family as a devoted wonderful and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She will be remembered for her quick wit, infectious laugh, and her ability to stay up late exchanging stories or playing cards. Mary was a lady in every sense of the word. She treasured kindness and caring between human beings. She will be sorely missed by everyone who really knew her and especially by her family.

Mary is survived by her devoted husband of 63 years, Albert Williams; her children Derek Williams (Donna), Laura Johnson (David) of Shrewsbury, and Paul Williams of East Falmouth; her grandchildren Curtis Williams (Kimberly), Melissa Horohoe (Corey), Erica Johnson (Jake), Jaclyn Williams (Colin), Nicholas Candito (Patricia), Connor Candito; her 4 great granddaughters Phoebe Williams, Charlotte Candito, Camila Candito, Campbell Candito; her sisters Emily Richard (Francis), Delia Doiron, Hermine Doucet and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the Williams family between 10 – 11:30 AM on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at the BRITTON-SHREWSBURY FUNERAL HOME, 648 Main St., Shrewsbury, with a memorial service to follow at 11:30. Immediately after the service, all are welcome to join Mary’s family for a reception at Eastern Shores Club, 206 S. Quinsigamond Ave, Shrewsbury. Memorial donations can be made to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org/donate).