Obituary of Ann Williams

Ann Williams passed peacefully on May 21, 2025, with family by her side… just 2 months shy of her 100th birthday. Annie Nellie Williams was born on July 26, 1925 to Cecil and Marion Underwood in Hollister, Ca. Growing up on her family’s rural ranch in Paicines, Ann was a country girl who learned to be tough, independent and handy… from milking cows, gardening and hunting, she knew how to survive and help her family thrive on the farm. Annie was fond of school and loved to read which sparked her interest in teaching. During World War II the nation was in dire need of teachers, so Annie took a teaching job at Bitterwater Tully school in rural King City on an emergency credential. As fate would have it, Thomas Williams from Texas was stationed at Ford Ord during this time and their paths would soon cross. While attending a dance at the Bitterwater Hall, Annie Underwood met Tommy Williams and their love story began. She went home and told her mother that night that she had found “the one”. Annie continued her teaching career while patiently waiting for the right time to marry Tommy. Once married they moved to Tom’s hometown in Texas. Annie became close with the Williams family but she missed the family ranch. A letter came from her parents asking for them to move back to Paicines to help farm and support the family ranch, an opportunity they quickly took. After moving back to the ranch, Ann and Tom had 4 sons… Donald, David, Dennis and the baby, Douglas. Ann often reminisced about raising 4 boys and the chaos that ensued… along with lots of cooking and laundry. Ann and Tom raised their boys while farming walnut orchards and a large amount of turkeys. As the boys aged, Ann decided to pursue her teaching credential from San Jose State. She became a teacher’s aide at another rural school called Jefferson, but finished her career at Cienega School. Ann touched the lives of all her students and kept in contact with many over the years. Ann loved to garden… she maintained a massive yard, a vegetable garden and lots of fruit trees. She prided herself on her garden adorned with roses, irises, morning glory and hollyhocks to name some of her favorites. She loved to grow vegetables and fruits and would harvest and cook all of her bounty and would often preserve or share the excess. The family also farmed walnut orchards, which eventually led to the formation of Williams Walnuts. Ann would frequent many Farmer’s Markets during the Fall to sell their walnuts. She was loved by many customers and fellow vendors at the Farmer’s Markets. Ann loved to cook and bake and was always trying new recipes. She believed that food was love… feeding people brought her so much joy. She enjoyed entertaining and hosted many neighborhood Sunday dinners, or birthday dinners for friends and family. She loved any excuse to try new recipes and have people over to share a meal. Ann was fondly remembered for hosting Christmas Eve dinner for her large family for over 20 years. She would slave for days to prepare a feast and was famous for her homemade knot rolls and her angel pudding. Ann had many hobbies besides her cooking and baking skills, she was also an avid crocheter and crafter. Every Christmas she would make a special gift for her friends and family from scratch… from a homemade gingerbread sleigh filled with her baked goodies or a hand sewn Nativity set (everyone’s most cherished gift). She would hand deliver her gifts. Ann had a generous heart and loved to give. Ann was blessed with 8 grandchildren whom she loved dearly. She made every effort to watch sporting events, attend school functions and have them over as often as she could. Those grandchildren blessed her with 14 great grandkids… she continued to attend games, always remembered birthdays and had a bulletin board in her house where she proudly posted photos, cards and newspaper articles. Ann loved her family and was a true matriarch. She kept in close contact with Tom’s family from Texas and visited or hosted visitors regularly. Ann was a woman of devout FAITH. She regularly attended church, and was a very active member of the Immaculate Conception Congregation. When Ann lost her beloved Tommy at an early age, it was her strong faith that kept her going for 48 years. Ann had a close relationship with God. Her faith provided her with a beautiful outlook on death; she firmly believed that life continued after passing and that someday we’re all reunited with the ones already in Heaven. Her 99 years on this Earth were remarkable. Her faith and wonderful outlook on life inspired many. Ann was an angel on earth. Her family takes comfort in knowing that she has been reunited with her beloved Tommy and is smiling down on us from Heaven… an angel watching over us all. Ann is survived by her 4 sons: Don Williams, Dave Williams, Dennis Williams, and Doug Williams & his wife Janeane. Grandma Ann is survived by her 7 grandchildren: TJ Williams, Meghan Williams, Melissa Williams, Jenny (Mike) Waller, Lindsay (Mark) Carreiro, Jillian (Cody) Rubbo and Hillary (Jake) Raine. She is also survived by her 14 beloved great-grandchildren: Dillon, Drew & Dane Williams, McKenna & Connor Casillas, Jaya & Chase Waller, Matthew Vargas, Mason & Miranda Carreiro, Blake & Reagan Rubbo, Hailey & Rhett Raine. Ann is preceded in death by her parents, her siblings and her granddaughter Sarah Williams. The Williams family wants to express their sincere appreciation for the wonderful team of ladies who helped care for Ann in her final years. They also want to thank Hazel Hawkins Hospital for their compassion and for making Ann’s final days comfortable and filled with love. In lieu of flowers, Ann’s family kindly requests that donations may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church in her memory. A Mass of the Resurrection will be held in her honor on Monday, June 9th at 11:00am, with a reception to follow at Paine’s restaurant. Ann will be laid to rest on the family ranch next to her husband Tommy.