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Heather Williamson
Born: 7/30/1975
Died: 10/15/2020
Age: 45
Community: Ortonville, MI
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WILLIAMSON, Heather - Of Ortonville, age 45, died Thursday, October 15, 2020 at her residence.
A Memorial Mass will be held 12 noon Friday, October 23, 2020 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Davison 404 North Dayton Street, Davison.
Rev. Father Andrew A. Czajkowski officiating.
Cremation has taken place.
Visitation 4-8pm Wednesday and 1-4pm and 6-8pm Thursday at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Rd, Flint. Visitation 11am Friday at church until the time of the Mass.
Heather was born in Flint, Michigan on July 30, 1975. She was the second daughter of Gary & Loretta (Multhaupt) Kralik. She grew up in the Flint area and attended Powers Catholic High School. Beginning at an early age Heather loved to dance. Throughout the years she performed in various tap, jazz, and ballet programs. She continued to perform all the way through her college years and beyond. She remembered it so fondly that in her final days when asked what she liked to do for fun her answer was to dance.
After high school Heather attended Mott Community College for two years before transferring to Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from CMU with a focus on early childhood special education. While attending CMU she made several lasting friendships and met what would become the love of her life, her husband Justin.
Heather’s first teaching position after graduation was for the Waterford School District teaching emotionally impaired pre-school aged children. Though extremely challenging she loved her job. She strived to be an advocate for her kids and treasured her relationships with each of them individually. When she spoke of her time with them the pride she took in the work being done was obvious. While working at Waterford Schools she obtained her Master’s Degree from Oakland University with a focus on children with Autism.
In January 2006, Heather and Justin had their first child, a son named Carter. Heather always anticipated being a working mother prior to having children, but when it was time to go back to work after Carter’s birth she was incredibly torn and felt she would rather stay home with him. This turned out to be a rather fortuitous decision as she would soon find out that their second and third children would be quick to follow. Their twin daughters Jaden and Kelsey were born just eleven months after Carter. Heather beamed as a stay-at-home mother. She loved being with her children every moment, arranging play dates and activities, and later volunteering at every school event or PTA function that she could attend.
As the children went off to school Heather found her way back into education, first as a pre-school teacher for a second time with Waterford Schools, and then as an Early Childhood Consultant and Special Education Coordinator with Genesee Education Consultant Services. Throughout her career she met many wonderful people that she was incredibly fond of and who shared her passion for helping children.
Heather and Justin moved to Waterford when they were first married and raised their children there until moving to Ortonville in 2014. They moved to Ortonville as they desired a more “small-town, up north” atmosphere. Heather immediately fell in love with the people and feel of the community. Additionally, it was at this time that the children began their ventures into the world of travel baseball, softball, and basketball, which lead her to great friendships that would prove to be a robust secondary support system for her family.
Heather loved spending time with her family. Her parents and sister live nearby and were a constant in her life throughout. Heather is survived by both parents, as well as her sister Lori & Lou Photiou.
Heather was also very fond of her in-laws. She loved to go to the family cabin at Higgins Lake with all of them on most major holidays throughout the year. She is also survived by them, her mother and father-in-law Janet and Michael Williamson, brothers-in-law Jason & Angela Williamson and Jordan Williamson, and sister-in-law Jana & Bobby Lipps.
Heather had several nieces and nephews that survive her as well, including Anna and Alex Photiou, Kellen and Devon Williamson, Connor and Aidan Johnson, and Nora Lipps.
Heather’s aunts, uncles and cousins were a big part of her life growing up, and that connection remained strong throughout her lifetime. Her aunts and uncles that survive her include Beverly Mcmanaman, Lana Miller, Lorna and John Tomczak, and Lenette and Edward Tomak.
With such a strong connection to her aunts, uncles and cousins it seems evident that her grandparents had a strong focus on family as well. Her grandparents all preceded her in death, including Leonard and Lyle Multhaupt and Ann and Stephen Kralik.
Heather passed as a result of her nearly two-year battle with brain cancer. She endured multiple surgeries, weeks of radiation and months of chemotherapy treatments over that time. Her courage during this time was remarkable. One of the things that struck her and Justin the most, however, was how much more difficult it must be to fight this battle for those in more difficult economic circumstances. It is because of this that the family is requesting donations be made to either the “Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor”, or “University of Michigan Brain Tumor Center” to help families with limited funds be able to support or to stay with their loved ones during surgery or treatments and not have to worry about the financial burden of doing so at that time.
Your condolences may be shared with the family at swartzfuneralhomeinc.com.
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| Visitation |
| Date: |
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10/21/2020 |
| Time: |
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4:00 PM |
| Visitation 4-8pm Wednesday and 1-4pm and 6-8pm Thursday at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Rd, Flint. Visitation 11am Friday at church until the time of the Mass. |
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| Funeral Service |
| Date: |
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10/23/2020 |
| Time: |
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12:00 PM |
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| Location: |
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St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
404 Dayton Street
Davison, MI 48423Get a Map to this location...
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| Official: |
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Rev. Father Andrew A. Czajowski |
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