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Joann Marie Williams
Joann Marie Williams was born Nov. 6, 1929, to Otto and Olga Heck of Alameda, Calif. Joann was welcomed home by her older brother Bill.
She graduated from Lincoln Elementary School and Notre Dame High School in June 1947.
Her life after high school was an adventure. She studied a year at San Francisco State. She worked at Alameda Recreation Department in many of the local parks. It was then that her great adventure would begin.
First she had the wonderful opportunity of working aboard the President Wilson as a recreation director for the American Dependent Children going to and coming from American bases in the Philippines and Japan to the U.S.
The next great step was a three year gig with the U.S.O. in Europe, primarily in Germany working in their centers for U.S. servicemen stationed in Europe. In that time she was able to travel widely visiting France and Italy as well as much of Germany. She was able to reunite with Heck family relatives in Cologne.
After her return from Europe she finished her degree at San Jose State and then worked for a number of years with the San Jose Recreation Department.
Then Joann married Richard Williams and they settled in Castro Valley where they adopted Michael and Scott. Joann continued to work in San Jose, and Dick in San Francisco. Then they moved to Cobb, Calif.
Over the years on Cobb Mountain, Joann was very active in the community, developing long and deep connections. She taught at the Locnoma Valley High School and for Yuba College.
She was instrumental in forming the Cobb Mountain Lioness Club in 1986, and was the first president. She was also the district president of the 4C2 Lioness, a longtime member of the ladies Guild for Our Lady of the Lake in Loch Lomond, charter member of the American Legion at Starview, co-founder of the Cobb Meadow Larks 9-hole ladies golf group at Hoberg's Forest lake, member of the Red Hats of Cobb, and belonged to the book club and Cobb train group.
She dedicated her time to helping others even when in poor health herself. Joann was our Queen and very respected in our community. Touched many lives and will not be forgotten.
She is survived by her brother and his husband, William Heck and Clancy Woolf; son and his wife, Michael and Kathy Williams; son and partner, Scott Williams and Kathleen Wright; grandchildren, Robert and Ryan Gordillo, Jay Miller, Cody Sharp, Donice Luck and Sebastian Cooley; great-grandchildren, Desirae Luck, Johnny Abreu and Zachary and Julian Sharp; and great-great-grandson, Joseph Luck Abreu.
A memorial Mass will be held at Our Lady of the Lake, Loch Lomond, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14.
For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .