Marie B. Williams

Marie Ann Burgin was born on December 31, 1926, in Woodside, California to Charles Henry and Rita Panting Burgin. The young family soon returned to Soda Springs, Idaho, where Marie graduated from high school at the age of 16. She then attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell. One of her professors described Marie as a “bright, good-looking girl and the best student in the class.” There she met William David (Bill) Williams and they were married in Soda Springs on June 21, 1945.

Later that year, they moved to Condon, Oregon where Bill taught at the high school, and both worked on the local weekly newspaper. Their first child, William David, Jr., was born prematurely in The Dalles, Oregon. Sadly, he only survived a few months. A second son, Charles Randolph was born later.

In 1948, they moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Bill attended graduate school in Classical Languages and later transferred to divinity school at the University of Chicago. Marie earned a Master’s Degree in Religion and the Arts and later worked at the Forest Glen Congregational Church where Bill was called. In 1954, they moved to Defiance, Ohio, and both worked at Defiance College, Bill as Business Manager and Marie as an English instructor. They developed a lifelong friendship with Dick and Carolyn Small in Defiance and welcomed their first daughter, Anita Marie.

Later in 1957, they moved to Billings, Montana, where Bill had accepted a position at Eastern Montana College of Education. They welcomed two more children, Carolyn Jane and Stewart Richard. Marie became a fulltime mother and homemaker but remained active in the community and church.

Over Thanksgiving weekend of 1965, the family moved to Portland, Oregon, where Bill was working at Portland State University. Marie became active in Oregon politics through the League of Women Voters and made many wonderful friends, including Hardy and Mary Ann Myers. The two families remained very close for the remainder of their lives.

Once all the children were in school, Marie went back to work outside the home, holding various positions over the next 20-plus years. In the 1970’s, she worked at West Coast Community Surveys and was legislative aide to Hardy Myers for the 1975 Oregon Legislative Session. She then became an admissions counselor at Lewis & Clark College and later Director of Admissions at Pacific University. Her last paid position was at the City of Portland where she supervised the Annexation Office.

Marie remained very involved with Oregon politics, volunteering for many different campaigns at both the local and statewide level. She also lobbied the Oregon legislature for restrictions on off-road vehicles. In 1976, she was a delegate for Jimmy Carter at the Democratic National Convention in New York City. In 1980, Bill and Marie were on their way to a conference at Lake Chelan, Washington and stopped overnight to camp near Mount Saint Helens the night before it erupted on May 18th. It took 4 hours to travel 40 miles, but they safely made it to Yakima.

Marie enjoyed travelling, playing bridge and golfing with Bill, but her true passion was quilting. As many friends and family members will attest, her works of art are prized possessions in many homes around the country.

A close friend, Barbara Kafka, honored Marie as, “The ultimate liberated woman (long before it was fashionable), dedicated mother, world traveler, advisor to the great and would-be great (and a few Republicans), writer, planner, mender of dreams.”

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of Kaiser Hospice and Courtyard at Mt. Tabor for their compassionate and exemplary care of Marie in her final years.

Remembrances to the William D. Williams Endowed Scholarship at Portland State University.

A memorial service and reception will take place on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 11:00 am at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home.