OREGON- Colleen “Coco/Coke” Williams, age 63, of Oregon, passed away on Sunday, March 13, 2022. She was born on Jan. 5, 1959, in Appleton, Wis., the daughter of Royal and Marie (Stommel) Gillis.

Coke graduated from St. Mary's Catholic High School in 1977 in Menasha, Wis. She married her high school sweetheart, Thomas Williams, on Aug. 25, 1979, in Pierce, Idaho.

Coke’s first passion in life was children. For the first 15 years of her own childrens’ lives, she ran an in-home daycare. She instilled deep compassion, empathy and endless tools for patience to a dozen children at a time. The next 25 years she was a teacher within the infant/toddler room at a Public Daycare facility. La Petite Academy dedicated their building in her name at her 22nd anniversary.

She was an active member in Relay for Life as she herself had overcome a battle with breast cancer in 2012. Her second passion was family.

She loved gardening, teaching the kids about birds, nature but mostly reminding them to live in the moment. That it is ok to make mistakes, it’s how you come back from those challenges that define your character.

She and Tom spent their later summers fishing, camping and traveling to places not yet explored. She made “Family” a priority, sharing these adventures with their children and six grandbabies. Her love was fierce, inspirational and will be missed by so very many.

Coco is survived by her husband, Thomas; son, Thomas (Sara) Williams; daughter, Christina Williams; six grandchildren, Blake Williams, Mason Williams, Adilee Williams, Elijah Gerard, Aundreya Carlson and Jackson Neubauer; three sisters, Kathleen (Daren) Carley, Mary Jahnke and Virginia (Walter) Freund; four brothers, Patrick Gillis, Kenneth (Kathy) Gillis, Tom (Barb) Gillis and Michael (Liz) Gillis; brother-in-law, Gerlad Weyenberg; sisters-in-law, Barb Gillis, Gloria Gillis and Barb Gillis; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Royal and Marie; sister, Judy Weyenberg; five brothers, Daniel, John, Gerald (Barb), Wayne and Paul; father-in-law, John (Dorothy) Williams; and brother-in-law, Earl Jahnke.

A funeral service will be held at ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, 625 E. Netherwood St., Oregon, at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 21, 2022. A visitation will be held at the church from 3 p.m. until the time of the service on Monday.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Coco's name to the UW Carbone Cancer Center or your local Foster Facility. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Oregon

Funeral & Cremation Care

1150 Park Street

(608) 835-3515

Colleen Marie Williams

January 05, 1959 - March 13, 2022

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