Mary Sue Williams

Mary Sue Watwood was born in Madisonville, Kentucky on January 3, 1924. Her parents, James R. Watwood and Mary Alseka Griffen Watwood were both raised in Kentucky. They moved to southern California in 1926 and then to Tucson, Arizona in 1928. She lived most of her childhood in Tucson. She is survived by her younger brother, J. R. “Bob” Watwood Jr, who was born in 1929. They had a close bond throughout their childhood and he always remembered her birthdays and called her regularly throughout their adult lives.

Mary Sue graduated from high school in Tucson, Arizona and married George H Williams soon after. George was attending Northern Arizona University, studying engineering. Their first child, George K. Williams, was born Jan 6, 1944, when they were living in the Catalina Mountains. George worked as a timekeeper for the Southern Pacific Railroad. They moved to Yuma, Arizona where their daughter, Mary Eleanor was born, in 1950. George, my dad, worked part time as a pastor in a small church and they made many friends there. Their lives became easier when dad got a job as an aircraft engineer at the Howard Hughs company in Tucson. After a few years he was hired by Boeing and moved the family to Wichita, Kansas in 1953.

Mary Sue, my mom, was a traditional stay at home mom and enjoyed baking, sewing, gardening, and playing the piano, in addition to taking care of her family of four. In 1961 they set out on a new adventure when Dad agreed to take a job transfer to the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington, a place that neither of them had ever been to. Their son, George, had just graduated from high school and joined the Navy so Mary Sue began working as a dental assistant for a few years. Their son, George, and daughter in law Loretta, had a baby boy, named Danny in 1963. Being Grandma to “little Danny” was very meaningful for her and Grampa George.

She next worked at Boeing as a secretary from 1964-72. Their daughter, Mary, graduated from Renton High School and went straight to Seattle Pacific College and pursued a degree in Dental Hygiene. In 1971 Mary married Paul Dever and they added three more grandchildren from 1977-1985, Tim, Anni, and Molly Sue.

Now that both of their children were independent they were able to follow their dream of travelling around the U.S. in their airstream trailer. They spent about 14 years on the open road, often spending winter months in Tucson visiting Mary Sue’s mom and her brother Bob and his family. In 1988 they purchased a lot in the Land Yacht Harbor and made their home there till George passed in Aug 2007. Mary Sue began showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease a few years later and moved to Edmonds, Washington to be near her daughter, Mary, and her family. At the time of her death she had four grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.

Both George and Mary Sue believed strongly in the truths of the Bible and did their best to live the Christian example set by Jesus of Nazareth. We entrust her spirit to Jesus and are grateful to have walked her to her new home in Heaven.