Helen R (Culver) Williams

ROYALSTON - Helen R. (Culver) Williams, 83 of 11 Bolton Rd., Royalston, died Monday, June 3, 2013 in the Heywood Hospital, Gardner, MA. She was born in Waltham, MA, on December 5, 1929, the daughter of the late Roy and the late Marion (Bowers) Culver. She attended Waltham Schools and then Athol High School, graduating with the class of 1948.  She was a telephone operator for New England Telephone for 25 years, retiring in 1988.  Helen volunteered for many years at the Royalston Luncheon Club preparing meals and planning events.  She was a member of the Baldwinville American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and Jump Town Twirlers.   She enjoyed knitting, had a passion for animals, particularly birds and the bears that came to her feeders. She loved baking brownies, homemade bread, and beans.  She enjoyed bowling with her husband and spending time with her family: 6 children, 19 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Recently she enjoyed attending the Gardner Visiting Nurses Adult Day Care where she made many new friends and brought smiles to those whose path she crossed. She was predeceased by her husband of 45 years:  William J. Williams; three brothers:  Chester Culver, Arthur Culver and Robert Culver, a step-brother Harley Smith, and her son-in-law Steven Niemi. She leaves four daughters, Mary Williams and her companion John Tesareski of Athol, Denise Niemi of Ashburnham, Marjorie Bassett and her husband Stephen of Royalston, Mae Williams of Royalston; two sons, Larry Williams and his wife Darleen of Orlando, FL, William J. Williams Jr. and his wife Sherrie of Decateur, IN; a step-brother, James Smith of Royalston; nineteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Friday, June 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM in the Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home, 110 New Athol Road, Orange.  Burial will follow in Lawrence Brook Cemetery, Royalston. Calling hours will be held Friday, June 7, 2013 from 9 – 11 a.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Helen’s name be made to the Royalston Fire & EMS Association, C/O James Putney, Treasurer, P.O. Box 22, Royalston, MA 01368. For more information or to sign our online guest book, please visit www.fiskemurphymack.com. Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home 110 New Athol Road, Orange is directing arrangements. $(document).ready(function(){ });