Elaine Stevens Williams

Elaine passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 10, 2022, after suffering in her final years from increasing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

She was born on March 8, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Elaine was the eighth of nine children of David and Elizabeth Egan. She was raised in a home of deep faith in the Savior Jesus Christ, and quietly exemplified her faith throughout her life. Her enduring family connections with her siblings became the pattern of her dedication to her husbands, her four sons, their wives, her grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Family was always first in her life.

On her 18th birthday, Elaine met Roy Stevens. This relationship progressed to an engagement prior to Roy leaving for a three-year mission to South Africa. Upon his return, Elaine and Roy were married in the Salt Lake temple on June 13, 1949. Four sons were added to this growing family over the next twelve years. Far too early in this marriage, Elaine was abruptly confronted with the challenge of rearing her sons alone after the untimely passing of Roy in 1971 from cancer. For the next nine years, Elaine’s attention was on seeing her sons through high school, missions, and college.

During the years as a single parent, Elaine found herself involved in activities her sons wanted to pursue. Though not a fan of motorcycles, Elaine consented to her boys’ requests to buy some dirt bikes which they enjoyed riding in the Clay Hills of St. George while Elaine would watch from the sidelines. This mother of four, who could not swim and was petrified of being in the water, somehow determined the family should own a waterski boat. This decision generated years of unforgettable family memories Including extended Lake Powell trips. Though never having waterskied herself, she seemed adept at offering tips to others. During this time, Elaine frequently reminded her youngest son Lane, that he should have been a daughter. That void was to be filled in the future with the addition of four daughters-in-law, whom she loved.

Her work experience after Roy’s passing included working at O.C. Tanner, first as an office manager and then as a salesperson. Selling jewelry was natural for Elaine as she placed a high priority on taking care of her appearance, paying particular attention to portray a youthful appearance even as she grew older.

Humor was a big part of her family life. She could laugh with others and laugh at herself, something that her sons often exploited - finding ways to keep laughter constantly present in the home. Elaine was social and fun-loving and enjoyed talking to others. She was a meticulous homemaker, and because of her high priority for order in her home, this became a task that would require outside help over the years and produced longstanding friendships. The legacy of being careful in details of all sorts has been passed to her four sons.

In 1980, she rekindled a friendship with Clayton R. Williams and on May 2, 1980, they were married, starting a new chapter in her life. Together, over the last 42 years, she and Clayton experienced a wonderful life together. They were able to travel extensively throughout the world. These trips were often shared with their dear friends Howard and Betty Clark. Clayton bought a home near the Clarks in Palm Desert which became a winter-time destination. She enjoyed parties and social gatherings during her time there and it was while in Palm Desert that she began writing her personal history. This was also a destination where her sons and their families were able to visit often.

While raising a family prevented her from finishing her college degree, Elaine was highly intelligent and seemed to be able to keep track of everyone’s name and their interconnections to her and her family. In her later life she enjoyed doing crossword puzzles to keep her mind sharp. She found time to volunteer with Junior League and other community organizations and other organizations.

As her family grew including daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, she extended her dedication to family to encompass all these new additions to the family. She was always concerned with the wellbeing of her sons’ families when they would visit, ensuring the experiences throughout the day were memorable. In Palm Desert, the grandchildren loved to swim in the pool near her condo. It brought joy to Elaine to see her grandchildren playing games and enjoying time together. She wanted to be wherever her family was, usually finding herself in the middle of playing games.

Elaine is survived by her husband Clayton R. Williams, her four sons and daughters-in-law, Doug (Susan), Greg (Peggy), David (Tammi) and Lane (Stephanie). Elaine is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren.

Viewings will be held on Wednesday evening, December 28th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Lawn, located at 2350 E. 1300 S., and on Thursday, December 29th, at 10:00 a.m. at the Monument Park Stake Center, located at 1320 S. Wasatch Blvd prior to the Funeral services at 11:00 a.m. The service will be followed by her interment at the Salt Lake City Cemetery. For those unable to attend, services will be streamed via Zoom using the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82107689568

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We express our gratitude for the care she was given at Sunrise Holladay by the staff and management.