Patricia Ann Williams (83) of Salem, formerly of Kinmundy

Patricia Ann Williams, 83, of Salem and formerly of Kinmundy, died on Tuesday, March 5, 2025, at her home in Salem, after a short, but courageous battle with cancer.

She was born on Nov. 25, 1941, in Kinmundy, the daughter of Ray and Mable (Keen) Olden. Pat lived in many places in her life but always considered Kinmundy home. She attended Kinmundy-Alma High School and returned to school in her adult years to learn accounting and become more familiar with computers. She taught herself to cut hair and often had a line of her own sons and the neighborhood boys awaiting a hair cut. Pat was the first employee of the South Central Transit where she set up and implemented all major processes within the organization during its inaugural years. She worked for World Color Press in Salem and JTPA in Centralia. She began working as a waitress as a teenager in Kinmundy and fell in love with the profession, returning to it many times in her life until her final retirement in 2006.She came out of retirement to help her children including working at The Henry Center for Childhood Development in Centralia, Bradley's Cycles in Salem, and The Marion County Observer. She was known for her dedication and organization to any job she tackled. While she had many accomplishments in her professional life, her dream was always to be a mother and she devoted her life and her time to her children and grandchildren. She was known to many as mom and mama but known to most as the title given to her by her first grandson, Nana Pat. Pat never saw a stranger and never missed an opportunity to talk about her family. She had the gift of gab and was just as good of a listener as she was a conversationalist. She had a generous and giving nature, consistently and, anonymously, providing for anyone in need. She had a strong and steady faith that she leaned on throughout the final days of her life. She had a quick wit and fierce sense of humor that sustained until the end. While on hospice, she would tell her visitors to “come back tomorrow and I’ll think of more things I’ll forget to tell you.” She enjoyed time with family, traveling to Florida to see her son and grandchildren, watching the Golden Girls, talking to friends and family on the phone, reading and working on her iPad.

She is survived by her children, Ken and Ava Williams, of Salem, Brad and Dawn Williams of St. Augustine, Fla., and Leigh Ann Williams and Cynthia Cain, both of Salem; grandchildren, Kyle and Jennifer Williams and Ashleigh Williams, all of Salem, Daniel Williams, Zachary Williams and Riley Williams, all of St. Augustine and Patrick Williams, of Springfield and Joshua Cain, of Arizona; and great-grandchildren, Cylas and Beckett.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Troy Williams and her brother, Billy Ray Olden.

Pat wished to thank her “girls” who provided her with such amazing care. The care, guidance, companionship and dedication of her hospice team, Traci and Katie was unmatched and gave her and her family comfort and peace.

Graveside funeral services to celebrate Pat's life will be held at 3:00 pm, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the Evergreen Cemetery, Kinmundy, Illinois with Christopher Knavel officiating. Burial will follow the services. In lieu of flowers, it was Pat’s wish that people, instead, perform a random act of kindness whether it be a meal, a donation, the opening of a door or a simple smile toward someone in need. She believed the world would be a better place if we would just return to a time of caring for each other.The McGriff Funeral Home in Kinmundy is honored to be entrusted with the family's care and arrangements. To sign the guestbook online or share a memory of Pat, please visit by clicking here.