Deirdre O'Brien Williams
September 7, 1928 - January 12, 2025
Deirdre Ellen O’Brien Williams was born September 7, 1928 in Waterbury, Connecticut to John Walter O’Brien and Eleanor Colwell O’Brien. She grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut and in Gardner, Athol, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. She graduated as the Latin Scholar at Cambridge Latin School in 1946. She earned an A.B. in Social Relations from Radcliffe College in 1950, and a Bachelors of Science from Columbia-Presbyterian University in 1954. She worked at Columbia-Presbyterian for a few years before joining Lever Brothers as the company nurse until 1961. She married Bruce David Williams on February 20, 1960. She gave birth to Katherine Colwell Williams in 1961, followed by Nicole Hager Williams in 1965. The family lived in New York City until 1972, when they moved to Englewood, NJ. She stayed home to raise her family but remained active as a volunteer. For many years, she ran the Columbia University Scholarship Benefit fund which raised scholarship money for nursing students. She was also President of the Women’s Auxiliary of Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, and in the 1980’s she served as chair of the Nursing Committee at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey. She remained active in supporting nurses and nursing throughout her life.
In later life she returned to New York City to live near her daughter. She enjoyed reading and watching British mysteries and keeping up with current events. Her pumpkin and pecan pies with homemade whipped cream were a highlight of holiday meals for her large extended family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three brothers and two sisters. She is survived by her daughters Katherine (Reade) Fahs and Nicole Williams Dietrich, her grandchildren Virginia Fahs, Eleanor (Patrick) Fahs Knight, Ramsey Fahs and Franz Williams Dietrich as well as many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be private at Deirdre’s request. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your favorite charity.
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