Catherine Williams

Catherine S. Williams, 93, passed away at home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on August 21, 2011 with her family by her side. She moved to Colorado Springs in 2001. For the last three and a half years, she lived with her daughter and son-in-law.

Catherine was born November 16, 1917 to Scottish immigrants, Alexander Blackie and Catherine Deary Shields, in Rochester, New York. She grew up in Miami and Coral Gables, Florida, having moved there at the age of 8 with her family. She was the youngest of four children. Her siblings, Margaret Rhodes, Mary Gale and Arthur Shields preceded her in death. Catherine attended Miami Edison Junior High School and Edison High. Catherine was an accomplished ballet, tap and Scottish folk dancer. She performed both as a solo act as well as in group routines in many musical plays and programs produced by her schools. As a member of the Miami Junior Chamber of Commerce Drum and Bugle Corps and the Roscoe School of Dance, she also performed in many productions and functions in the Miami area. She attended two years of business college.

She married William M. Williams in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in 1938. Her husband entered the Army Air Corps as a pilot in 1942 and remained in what became the Air Force after World War II They enjoyed his 30 year military career being stationed in many places among them Washington DC, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Goose Bay, Labrador, and Maine. She was an active member of the wives clubs and volunteered her time to the Gray Ladies, the Family Services Program, Brownies, Girl Scouts, and the PTA. During those military years, she directed many musical productions as well as choreographed all the dance numbers. Besides dancing, among the vast interests of Catherine, painting, ceramics and gardening were the tops. She also loved animals. In later years, she was an avid reader and was always up for a game of Scrabble.

When Col. Williams retired from the Air Force in 1972, they returned to Miami where her whole family still lived. Her husband, Mack, died in 1989. Besides her husband and siblings, she was preceded in death by her son, Alex, who passed at away at 57 years old in 1999. She is survived by her daughter, Marlo, son-in-law, Doug Hillstrom, grandson, Scott Hillstrom (Samantha), and great grandson, Alexander Hillstrom, her sister in law, Catherine McCall Shields, nephews, Stephen (Nanette) Shields, Art (Janet) Shields, nieces, Karen (Gus) Betancourt, Cathy (Dave) Lanier, great niece Michelle (Wesley) Powell and great nephew, Justin Betacourt.

Catherine was dearly loved by her family and will forever be deeply missed.

Arrangements under the direction of Swan-Law Funeral Directors, Colorado Springs, CO.