“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Frances Ebio Williams, it summarized in every way, who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.
Frances was born on September 28, 1951, at Guam Memorial Hospital in Oka, Tamuning, Guam USA. She was the daughter of Adolfo and Concepcion Ebio. Raised in Dededo, Guam, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.
As a young girl, Frances was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Frances was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Frances was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Frances also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Frances was raised with eight siblings. She had 4 younger brothers: Ephraim, Adolfo, Crisanto and Leonard and 4 younger sisters: Thelda (deceased), Antonette, Valerie and Roberta. Frances was constantly involved in activities with her family. Frances and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.
Growing up, Frances was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Frances was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Frances was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Frances took part in a number of activities as a child. She took part in softball and volleyball. She was a Girl Scout, and she participated in the Choir. In her spare time, she liked comic books and singing. Frances' memorable achievements included cooking, baking, and crocheting the rose afghan that her younger sister, Antonette, taught her.
Frances enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Frances was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Frances was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She attended John F. Kennedy High School (Home Of The Islanders), but later obtained her GED. Frances enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was Choir. The teachers she enjoyed learning from the most were the Catholic nuns. She vigorously participated in softball and volleyball.
Most folks would say that Frances was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well, learned that she was a solid, good friend. Frances was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Frances best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Frances kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Marilyn Castro, Therese Daga, Faye Rothhaar and Anita Florig. Later in life, she became friends with Aileen and Myra.
Love can’t be defined, but must be experienced. That was so true for Frances. On December 16, 1989, Frances married Frank Williams at the Church Of Truth in Corona, California. She was totally committed to Frank and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Frances naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Frances disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.
Frances was a good mother to her child. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Frances was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way, she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Frances was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule with flexibility. Frances was blessed with one child, Jesse, and a daughter-in-law, Sonia. Frances was blessed with four grandchildren; Destinee, Junior, Jakob and Divinity.
If you gave Frances a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Frances was always on task. Without hesitation, Frances could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was as a Legal Secretary. She was employed for 20 years by Liberty Mutual in Long beach, California. And was employed for 7 years at the Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas, Nevada. During that time, Frances excelled in working with small groups or solely in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Frances was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Frances had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.
Frances liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Frances’ choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Frances preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were crocheting and baking. Frances was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes or watching her favorite shows on the Food Network Channel.
While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Frances often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. In high school, Frances played softball. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity.
Due to her excellent organizational skills, Frances was a welcome addition to the community organizations to which she belonged and was employed with. Frances could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Frances was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. In high school, Frances was a member of the Glee Club and Choir.
An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, faith was important to Frances. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others were evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member of Prince Of Peace Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, for 10 years, and also a member of Santa Barbara Catholic Church, in Dededo, Guam USA, during her early formative years.
Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Frances had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was part of the trip planners. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Disneyland, California, Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada.
Frances had Mikko, a mixed Chihuahua, who was her best friend for 5 years. Her family was rounded out by her cat, Phoebe, and 3 dogs: Lucky, Snoopy and Max. Frances was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.
When Frances' became unemployed in 2009, she was not prepared, but was now able to address her health issues. It was a blessing in disguise, as she was better able to see her family doctor and make all her necessary doctor visits and appointments. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Her new life involved relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada, to be close to family. During this past year, she found new pleasure in crocheting, cooking, baking and partying with family. Frances continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the family gatherings, and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.
Frances was pronounced dead on Thursday, January 6, 2011, at North Vista Hospital, North Las Vegas, Nevada. She battled bravely against multiple health conditions. She is survived by her husband, Frank; son, Jesse and his wife, Sonia; her grandchildren, Destinee, Junior, Jakob and Divinity. Services will be at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, Las Vegas, Nevada. Frances now rests in the bosom of the Lord.
It is said that some people can’t see the forest beyond the trees, but Frances was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Similar to how she was with each sibling as she was the oldest. She was not so much the matriarch of the family, as she had a quiet nature and demeanor about her, but she did treat each sibling individually in her own quiet way. Frances was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough, practical, and had a keen sense of humor. Frances Williams was very literal with her words in her own subtle way. You always knew where you stood with Frances. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Arrangements under the direction of Palm Downtown Funeral Home, Las Vegas, NV.
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