Holly Wilton Williams' Obituary
Holly Wilton Williams passed away peacefully with her family at her side on Thursday, November 2nd after a battle with ALS. Holly was born November 18th, 1952 in Salt Lake City to Patricia (Crehore) and Kent Wilton. Kent was a World War II veteran and engineer, who designed the Olympus Cove house Holly grew up in with her younger sister, Jody. Her mother Pat ran an antique and china business for 35 years, and was the matriarch of the family.
Holly graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, then diligently pursued and acquired a master's degree in nursing from BYU. She married William R. Balken in 1975 (later divorced), and had two children, Elizabeth and Eric. She married Louis R. Williams on October 28th, 2005, and the two became inseparable from that time on. She adored Lou, his sense of humor and their daily antics together. His teasing nickname for Holly was, “Holiday”, and it stuck. She also loved her miniature Schnauzers, Wilson and Jackson. She particularly delighted in spending time with her beloved grandchildren Remy, Phoebe, and Teddy.
Holly served as Bureau Director of the Utah Department of Health Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) Bureau. Through her knowledge, dedication, enthusiasm, and innovative approaches, she improved the lives of thousands of children and families in Utah. She was a fierce advocate for children and youth with special needs, obtaining numerous grants to support children’s health throughout Utah, reaching remote communities. Through her exceptional work she was highly respected, and her efforts and expertise helped establish the Utah CSHCN Bureau as a sought-after resource nationally. Holly’s infectious personality and leadership with her staff and colleagues established friendships that will be treasured and cherished forever.
After retiring, she became an expert at genealogy and researching and recording family histories, as well as a regular of pilates classes at Pinnacle performance. “Grandma Hoss” (nicknamed by her grandson Teddy when he couldn’t pronounce Holly) was thoughtful, loving and caring — a lover of plants, animals, and the people around her. She would always go the extra mile to help family members with work and school projects, garden designs, or mapping a family tree. She was inquisitive, witty, and never afraid to speak her mind. Whether it was house projects, ancestry conundrums, audiobook mysteries or word games, her problem solving abilities were unrivaled.
Holly is survived by her husband Lou Williams; her children Liz (Mike) Cross and Eric Balken (Sandrine Yang); her sister Jody (Steve) Price; her grandchildren Theodore Cross, Phoebe Cross, and Remy Balken; her cousins Connie (Dieter) Brehm, Layne (Noall) Latimer, and Linda (John) Parker.
A Funeral Mass will be held in Salt Lake City at the Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 1375 Spring Lane, on Nov 21st at 11 AM, friends and family may call an hour in advance of the service. The inurnment will follow at the Mount Calvary Cemetery, 275 North U Street. A celebration of life will be held at The Ivy House, 550 South 600 East, at 3 PM that day. All are invited to attend the Mass and celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Glen Canyon Institute at www.glencanyon.org/donate.
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