Claire Louise Williams

Claire L Williams, 80, of Bennington, VT, passed peacefully on November 21, 2024, of a rare variant of Alzheimer’s (Posterior Cortical Atrophy).

She was born on August 14, 1944, in Adams. MA. She is preceded in death by her husband, Michael B. Williams (2006) of Shaftsbury, VT, father Bernard Langner, mother Helen Langner of North Adams, MA, and only sibling, Elaine Stoll (2024) of Cape Coral, FL.

She married her true love, Michael (Mike) Williams, on April Fool’s Day, 1977, a date which surprised no one who knew them. She joined him and his three children at the Old Cider Mill in Shaftsbury.

Over two decades, while Mike was the Director of the Bennington Chamber of Commerce, they attended many Chamber events every month throughout the state. He drove, and she navigated the maps. It’s why they worked so well for the 29 years they were together. She was a proud and steadfast volunteer “Bennington Car Show Babe” from the mid-1980s until 2006.

For 35 years, she was the devoted executive assistant to Gerald Keneally, working with him through his years at Catamount Bank, Merchant’s Bank, Daily’s, and lastly, The Bank of Bennington.

She loved all creatures with fur and wings, reading mysteries, antiquing, yard sales, and finding classic diners anywhere she and Mike were on the road. She loved the tranquility of oceans and lighthouses, and together, they took annual trips to Cape Cod to breathe the Autumn sea air.

Amongst friends and colleagues, she was known as “the kindest person.” Her joy and laughter were infectious, and she smiled through it all until the end. She was kind and generous to family, friends, and every charity who asked. She was a quiet hero.

She is survived by her children; Meike Williams of Bennington, VT, Mark Williams of Brooklyn, NY and Nicole Williams of Tucson, AZ, and her nieces and their children; Laura Nugent, Kathleen Coffler, Maureen Curtis and Nancy Adams.

There will be no service at this time as her wish was to be cremated and joined with her husband. She also wished to donate her brain for further research into the terrible disease that robbed her of eyesight and memory in the last years of her life. She is grateful to the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, where she participated for 2 years in studies with the hope of preventing the disease in future generations.

Instead of flowers, she asked if you would please consider adopting an animal from a shelter, plant some trees, support your local NPR, Vermont Arts Exchange or just be kind to someone in need in her memory. One of those things is plenty, you don’t have to do them all.

The family is forever grateful…
To her daughter Meike, who lovingly cared for Claire in her final years.
To the countless part-time caregivers who helped make it possible to keep her safe at home, and especially to Patty Squires for her many years of loyalty and dedication.
To her dear friends, Joanne Myers, Barb Bluto, and Sheila Dunn, who continued, long after she had forgotten their faces, to come by and sit a spell with her. Thank you.