Rita C. Williams

Rita Christine Williams (nee Martin), born May 21, 1932 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Pre-deceased by husband William (Bill) A. Williams, parents Harry (Jerome) and Tessy (Antoinette) Martin, brother Joseph Martin and sister-in-law Margie. Survived by son Brian Williams (partner Tom Callaghan), daughters Cheryl Dennis and Theresa Pollard (husband Tim); grandson David Dennis and Cousin Ronnie; special nephews and nieces Stephen Martin, Susan Zielinski, Richard Hannis (wife Cathy); and grand nieces and nephews.
Rita grew up in the Miners Mills neighborhood of north Wilkes-Barre, PA and graduated from Coughlin High School. She attended Wilkes College, where she met her beloved husband, Bill. The couple moved to Johnson City, NY in 1954 when Bill got a position at General Electric in Westover, and settled into their home in Vestal several years later, where Rita lived for over sixty years.
Rita worked in a number of places over the years, including NY Life, United Way, Grand Union, Anitec, Willow Run Foods, Grosset and Dunlap Publishing, Kelley Services and the Town of Owego. She was also proud proprietor of the women’s clothing boutique Topaz in Vestal. She greatly enjoyed meeting people from the area through her work and treasured the lasting friendships she made.
Rita was a member of the GE Wives Club in the 1960’s, and a member of Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Ambrose Churches. She graduated from Broome Community College and Binghamton University, class of 1994, with a Golden Key.
Rita was for many years an active member of the Fine Arts Society of the Southern Tier, where she served as President for two terms. She found great pleasure in attending workshops with well-known artists to explore her love of pastels. As with her work, she enjoyed the camaraderie of her fellow-members of FASST.
While working out of the home she always strove to keep her family first. She kept a lovely home and through her cooking kept her family’s Polish and Lithuanian traditions alive for others to enjoy.
For the last few years Rita lived at Brookdale Castle Gardens where she made new friends and discovered a fondness for Bingo.
Funeral Services for Rita will be held on Saturday November 2 at 1 PM at the Allen Memorial Home, 511-513 E. Main Street, Endicott. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family. The family will receive friends on Saturday at the Allen Memorial Home from 12 PM until Service time at 1 PM.
Donations in memory of Rita may be made to Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Main Street, Vestal; or Fine Arts Society of the Southern Tier.