SHOREWOOD, WISCONSIN
Laura Ann Williams, age 51, died at her home in Shorewood, Wisconsin, on Jan. 8 after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer. Laura was born July 13, 1970, at St. John’s Hospital in Anderson.
Laura graduated from Pendleton Heights High School in 1988 and Indiana University in 1992. She had worked with Kalmbach Publishing Co. and Reader’s Digest as a copywriter, and most recently with Allstate Insurance.
Laura’s husband is Shaun Navis. They had been married for 24 years. They have a daughter, Jessamyn Lyra Navis, who is attending the University of Puget Sound.
Laura has three sisters, Linda Newill of Lyndhurst, Ohio; Suzan Dillery (Allan) of Pendleton; Ellen Martinez (Jose) of Brooklyn, New York; and a brother, Robert Williams, Jr. (Deca) of Pendleton. Laura has many nieces and nephews: Robert Newill (Krista), Andrew Newill (Amanda), Kathryn Newill, Gina Buchanan (Justin), Patricia Gallegos, Lucila Kaufman (Brian), Emilio Martinez (Nicky), Lillian Williams and Lucas Williams. There are many more great-nieces and -nephews and even more cousins, aunts and uncles.
Laura is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Patricia Williams of Pendleton.
Laura was a huge fan of the Chicago Cubs as well as the Indiana University Hoosiers. She grew up with a love of music, and some of her favorite artists were Neil Diamond, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, Elton John, Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. She also loved anything Harry Potter, Star Trek, as well as Star Wars. Laura was an avid runner and enjoyed playing softball, swimming and doing taekwondo.
A celebration/visitation for Laura will take place on Jan. 29 in the Pendleton First United Methodist Church Atrium, 225 W. State St., Pendleton. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. A short ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. in the atrium of the church. Please feel free to visit anytime during the 2 to 4 p.m. The family is insisting that masks be worn if not vaccinated against COVID to help keep everyone safe and take care of ourselves. Laura would have agreed that this needs to be done.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to your local public library or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation via bcrf.org/ in Laura’s name.
