Obituary: Roberta Williams, 85, of Pentwater.

Roberta Williams

Obituary: Roberta Williams, 85, of Pentwater.

Our mom, Roberta Ann (nee Gregwer) Williams, 85, passed away peacefully, Sunday, August 28, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents Tom and Barbara (nee Roberts) Gregwer; sister Mary Lynne (nee Gregwer) Jones; son-in-law Edward Flood; and two grandchildren Sarah Jean Stinebaugh and Andrew Lester Flood. She is survived by her husband Lester Williams of 67 years; her five children Barbara “Babs” Marie (nee Williams) Grondsma (John), Leslie Ann (nee Williams) Stinebaugh (Jack), Terri Lynn (nee Williams) Settler (Dave), Jennifer “Jenny” Sue (nee Williams) Hasty (Chad) all of Pentwater and Richard Lee Williams of Ludington; her brother Greg Gregwer (Boo); and, sister Amy (nee Gregwer) Plough (Chuck). Mom and dad have 19 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, along with nieces and nephews.

Mom was born July 8, 1937, in Hart and grew up in Pentwater for most of her life; except for a period where she had many adventures traveling and beginning her family with dad. Mom met some distinguished notables over time.

She lived in California for a period and worked for Disney Studios. There she portrayed Pocahontas for Walt Disney in one of his first motion pictures. She said Mr. Disney would come in and say hi to all the cast members each morning. While in California my dad caught my mom’s eye, and their life began together for the next 67 years.

Onward to Georgia my mom began the military life with my dad who was in the U.S. Air Force at that time. One of her best moves was eventually to the United Kingdom. Living outside of London, England, in High Wycombe and Amersham, mom told dad she didn’t want to live on the military base but live among the locals…which they did in a flat over a pub called The George and Dragon Hotel and Pub which was haunted then and is still today.

By chance, mom met Queen Elizabeth II in an unorthodox manner. Our parents had a Buick shipped over, and the roads in Britain were very narrow and many single lanes at the time. Mom was driving with the kids and a car was heading towards her. Both cars stopped and mom was directed to move to the side of the road to let the other car by. The car drove alongside and stopped, and the window rolled down and Queen Elizabeth told my mom to have a good day.

Other adventures followed. Mom and dad went on several pilgrimages with one notable flying to Serbia and Croatia then onward to the Vatican. There she presented one of her mom’s watercolor paintings of Pentwater as a gift. In later years, mom and dad traveled all over the United States in their RV and made a lot of friends along the way.

Our parents were transferred back to the states and to Bossier City, Louisiana. Mom and dad went to England with three kids and came back with four where Richard was born. Military life was slowly coming to end after dad was deployed to Vietnam for a year and mom was raising four kids. She learned independence and new skills like how to fix plumbing and even had to move our dad’s airplane on a trailer.

After retirement from the Air Force, the next move was to Texas where dad went to work in the oil industry. The youngest and fifth child was born in Texas. Next move was to Grand Isle, Louisiana, and then the big decision to move back home to Pentwater!

Mom always was passionate about having a business. Much of this passion started when she was young working in her parent’s restaurant, the Drift Inn of Pentwater. Mom got the gift of gab from her dad and business mindset from her mother.

Her first business in Pentwater was in the old Dumas building they bought. Our mom and her mother opened a deli. Mom’s passion for real estate started to begin with that adventure. She went on to study for her license and began selling real estate. Later she decided to go on her own and start her own company with a short time acquiring another real estate company in Pentwater. As her business portfolio and business grew, she bought a Century 21 franchise bringing the first real estate franchise to Pentwater and one of the first to West Michigan. For many years her business ranked in the top 10 in real estate satisfaction in the state of Michigan. She had transactions all the way south to Holland to north of Traverse City. Her clients, many repeat, were from all over the United States, Europe and even from the United Arab Emirates. She got great pleasure helping young people and families get their first homes.

After many years, she decided to slow down. She studied and earned a degree in naturopath. She helped train her successor to her business and decided to retire. Mom and dad traveled many years out west and southern United States; hiking in the mountains of Utah was something she really enjoyed. Retirement didn’t last too long; however, she decided to open another real estate company and ran that until she was 78 years old then finally made the decision to really retire.

Mom’s other interest included helping others where she could. She worked at the Bread of Life Food pantry in Hart with Dad, she was involved with St. Vincent’s Pentwater and the interfaith community and a strong advocate for Right to Life. She will be missed by many.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, at St. Vincent Catholic Church, 637 Sixth St., Pentwater, MI 49449, with Fr. Phillip Sliwinski presiding, and a luncheon to follow. Visitation will be held Thursday, from 10 a.m. until time of services at the church. Interment will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Weare.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oceana Country Right to Life, care of Wally Carrier, 739 S 96th Ave., Shelby, MI 49455.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.