Arlene Ann Williams

Arlene Ann Williams (nee Mitchell) of Tempe, Arizona, age 87, went home to be with the Lord on Sept. 23, 2017. Daughter of Larene and Harvey Mitchell, she was born in Sterling, Kansas, on September 8, 1930, and grew up in Ohio and Indiana. She graduated in 1953 from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where she majored in elementary education. After graduating Wheaton, Arlene taught elementary school in Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Azusa, California; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1962 she married Ernest Williams and the couple made Stillwater, Minnesota, their home until moving to Watertown, South Dakota in 1966 where they lived for the next 20 years.

Arlene, who was preceded in death by her parents and twin sister, Ardice (Ardie), is survived by her husband, Ernest Williams, Tempe, Ariz.; her sister, Marilyn Wright, Colorado Springs, Colo.; her son Greg, his wife Jane, and their children—David, Luke and Jessica—all of Phoenix, Ariz.; and her daughter Wendy Williams, and her son, Tobias, of Edina, Minn.

Arlene had a deep abiding faith in the Lord. Motivated by her love for God she was always ready to share the Gospel of Jesus. Her warm smile and encouragement made lasting impressions on all who knew her. Throughout her life she was actively involved in her local church, serving as a church board member, Sunday school teacher, confirmation class volunteer and bible study secretary. Arlene's heart for helping people and her love for Jesus led her to invest in many people's lives over the years. Whether it was friends of her children—many of whom were international students—or the three refugee Vietnamese soldiers whose lives she helped re-establish in South Dakota in 1975, and who, to this day, call her "mom", she lived each day looking for any opportunity to share and demonstrate God's love with people of all ages and backgrounds.

A celebration of life reception is being held for Arlene on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at Richardson Funeral Home, 2621 S. Rural Rd., Tempe, Ariz., 85282. Private interment will be at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, it is Arlene's family's wish that donations in her memory be made to Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607; www.samaritanspurse.org, to provide relief to those suffering from recent natural disasters. Richardson Funeral Home, Tempe, Arizona is compassionately serving the family.

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Celebration of Life

Friday September 29th, 2017

2:00pm

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