Edith Mary Williams

It’s all our memories that will keep you near.”  Mary passsed away at The Elms  on 7th October aged 91 years.  Beloved wife of the late Jim and much loved Mum of Craig, Lindsay and the late Leslie. Also a cherished Nan, Great Nan and Great Great Nan”Ma-ma”. Who will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.

Edith Mary Williams who preferred to be called Mary throughout her life. She made
her wishes known to Joseph O’Connell years ago, she didn’t want you to be sad
after her death, she wanted you to remember the good times.
Mary’s life was characterised by strength and stoical courage, she had experienced
immeasurable loss throughout her ninety-one years. She was happily married to her
first husband Jim for thirty-one years but was widowed in 1984, having found love
and happiness again with her husband Thomas she had to endure his death years
later. Her first-born child Leslie died in Infancy leaving her totally bereft. She had
the heartbreak of losing her grandson Robert and has outlived three sisters and two
brothers. Her friends Rose and Ange have many good memories of Mary especially
when playing bingo.
Despite heartache, there were many happy times for Mary. After losing Leslie, she
welcomed her two sons into the world albeit nine years apart and became a much-
loved mum to Craig and Lindsay, mother-in-law to Sue and Leanne. Mary is a
cherished nan, great nan and great great nan or Ma Ma as the great generations
lovingly called her.
Mary was one of six but close to Marj – the chuckle brothers, the two of them were a
nightmare! They were always in each other’s houses, they could argue but were so
funny, regularly pulling pranks on unsuspecting people for example tying people’s
clothes together for a laugh.
Mary was of course an auntie and great auntie to many and particularly fond of her
her niece Lorraine who looked on Mary as a friend and great nephew Jenson they
enjoyed many lovely holidays together.
It seems Mary lived her life in three chapters: Jim’s wife, Thomas’s wife and then her
greatest life has been with Craig and Sue watching her family grow and flourish.
Mary was described by Craig and Lindsay as a dear mum, always there if they
needed her. Apparently, she would never go to sleep until Craig was in the house
even at his age and she always set her alarm to get him up for work
Mary’s birth certificate states Edith Mary was born on 14 th November 1930, at The
Grange, her parents were Charles and Edith, and her dad was a Farm Labourer.
She rarely spoke about her childhood but it seems her father worked on a farm down
Underwood Lane and the family lived in a tied cottage. On Mary’s marriage
certificate to Jim, her occupation was also classed as a Farm Labourer so some of
the children must have helped on the farm.
Craig has recollections of his mum working in a bakery until Lindsay was born and
eventually, starting work at Crosville in the busmen’s canteen, up until she retired.
After retirement she decided to take on a few hours in the canteen at Junitex sewing
factory.

She married Jim at the age of twenty-two and was only young when she had to cope
with the loss of her first baby. Craig was born in 1959 and remembers they lived at
Brereton Close then into a flat on the upper floor of Alexandra Place where Lindsay
arrived in 1968. After Lindsay broke his leg Mary and Jim successfully applied for a
move to Weaver Place on the ground floor because they couldn’t carry Lindsay up
and down the stairs.
Before Lindsay was born, Mary, Jim and Craig went with the extended family to
Butlins at various sites around the country and eventually had their own family
holidays in Blackpool every year – she still went with Craig and co up until about five
years ago with Lindsay still tagging along occasionally!
Grandchildren came along and Donna remembers nan looking after her and brother
Robert when they were younger, especially at Crossways when their mum was ill.
After Jim died, Mary was at a funeral in Blackpool with her sister Barbara when the
two of them met Thomas and his mate who were also paying their respects.
After marrying Thomas in 1993, Mary moved to Preston but loved the family visiting.
Lindsay was able to go fairly often and remembers she used to like to catch the bus
to Blackpool and Southport.
Although holidays were regularly spent in this country over the years – particularly
Blackpool, Mary and Thomas went with Marj and Tom to Australia one year to find
Mary and Marj’s brother who went over there when he was in the RAF in the sixties
and stayed. He hadn’t been in touch since but then the Salvation Army tracked him
down, so it was a wonderful reunion with lots of DVD’s and photographs of their
experiences down under.
Mary lost Thomas in 2001 but having settled in Preston, she stayed until 2004 when
she moved back to Crewe.
She loved to see her grandchildren and great grandchildren and always had treats
ready for the little ones.
She was never without a tabard and a wet cleaning cloth or tissues in the pocket or
tissues tucked underneath her watch. She loved a good party – and always spoke
about the big jubilee party.
She kept TicTacs on her bedside table and would never have the fruity ones if the
white ones weren’t available, but she did have Trebor Soft Mints as an alternative.
For many years she enjoyed going to bingo, she had a passion for scratchcards,
spent a fortune on them as did family when they bought them for her as gifts. And
she always has a wordsearch book on the go – something else she spent a fortune
on!
So many memories as Mary goes on her journey to be reunited with loved ones who
left long before she was ready to say goodbye.

Mary’s funeral will take place on 20th October at Crewe Crematorium Chapel at 3.30pm.

For further information and to offer your condolences, please telephone our funeral home on 01270 584447