Laraine E. Williams, 70, of Rockford died suddenly while visiting her boys in Denver on April 23, 2018. Born Jan. 27, 1948, in Rockford, the daughter of Mason and Edna (White) Brown. She graduated East High School and worked at J. L. Clark Mfg. Laraine took computer classes at night and moved into the IT dept. where she worked many years. She was staying with her sister Katherine and husband in 1967 when she was gripped with “Cub Fever”. You didn’t dare talk down about the Cubs within earshot. She dearly loved going to the Cubs games in Chicago and Denver when they played the Rockies.
Laraine married Gerald Williams on Nov. 6, 1971, in Rockford. She left work to raise a family and later worked in the school cafeteria during the boy’s younger days. Laraine worked for Header Die Mfg, then became a paraprofessional for the Board of Education where she supervised the library at Jackson Grade School. During this time she took child psychology classes to better understand the children she was guiding. She was a marvelous reader that could hold the attention of children with great inflection and making animal sounds.
She dearly loved her boys and was so proud that they graduated college. Laraine was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran, Christ the Rock and New Life Lutheran churches. She sang with Sweet Adeline’s for 23 years. In 2000 and 2002 their chorus won International Small Chorus Championships, and her quartet won the Regional 3 Novice Quartet award. Laraine always had a smile on her face and an infectious laugh.
Laraine and Gerald shared the love of traveling this beautiful country by car. They even flew to Puerto Rico, Puerto Vallarta twice, and Riviera Maya Mexico.
Survived by her husband of 47 years, Gerald; sons Matthew of Arvada, CO and Corey of Lafayette, CO and their girlfriends, Julia Barnhart and Karen Overby respectively; brothers Gerald Brown (Janet), Glen Brown (Patsy); sisters Frances Huston (Richard), Sharon Yarbro, and Barbara Reynolds of Rockford; Katherine Roerkohl (Donald) of Poplar Grove; and many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her parents, brothers Kenneth Brown (Betty), Owen Brown (Barbara Ainsworth) and sister Lorita Vermeis (Sonny).
A Memorial Service will be held at New Life Lutheran Church, 1100 N. Lyford Rd. in Rockford on Saturday, May 12th. Visitation 11:30 – 1:00pm; memorial service at 1:00pm. Memorials may be made to the family or New Life Lutheran Church.
