Naomi B Williams

Naomi Belle Burgess was born on August 17, 1910, at Altoona, Pennsylvania to Henry Burgess from England, and Bertha Mae (Kissell) Burgess. Her mother died of complications from child birth of her brother, William Thomas Burgess, (also the baby) when Naomi was only three years old.

Naomi and her older brother, Henry Burgess, Jr. were raised by their father, who worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Several housekeepers looked after she and her brother before her father remarried. Her father had a tragic death at the young age of 52.

Naomi attended all eight grades of elementary, and four years of high school in Altoona, PA. She married Isaac Thomas Williams on March 11, 1931. They had five children, Thomas Henry, (who died at birth) Donna Jean, Barbara Louise, Henry Thomas, and James Gilbert. They lived at Meadeville, PA, then Linesville, PA, moved to California in 1942, during World War II, where she worked in the shipyards in Long Beach as a welder! They moved to New Mexico in 1945, and then to Freeman, WA, in October 1947, where they lived and continued to raise their four children.

To help supplement their income, she went to work for Morrison Bros. Seed Co., then later as a telephone operator for The General Telephone Co. of the Northwest, (she had previous experience in New Mexico) in Rockford, WA. The company moved to Spokane, and Naomi worked for them there and later followed the job to Everett, WA. She had a serious automobile accident in July of 1967, following the death of her husband, and her recovery took place living with her daughter’s family in Freeman. She returned to work for the telephone company in December, at Everett. After her husband’s death, she lived with her daughter and family until she retired in 1972.

She spent her retirement years living at Freeman, enjoying her home, family and friends, loving the outdoors and her flowers. She belonged to the United Methodist Church in Rockford, was a member of the United Methodist Women, and a member of the local Historical Society. She had 14 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren. She loved hugs, both giving and getting, and a wonderful inspiration to everyone who knew her! She went to be with her dear Jesus on Monday, January 10, 2011.

Celebration of her life will be in the Colonial Chapel at Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home at 1306 N. Pines, on Wednesday, January 19, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Freeman Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Methodist Church, P.O. Box 37, Rockford, WA, or the charity of your choice.