Deloris Irene (Wilske) Williams Elder, 80
Williams Elder
Deloris Irene (Wilske) Williams Elder, 80
Deloris Irene (Wilske) Williams Elder passed peacefully on April 21, 2020, at age 80. Deloris was born June 30, 1939, in American Falls, Idaho, to Albert and Lydia Wilske. She was the second of seven children.
In 1944, her parents moved the family to Harrison, Idaho, where they farmed Harrison Flats. Deloris graduated from Harrison High School in 1957. In 1958, she married Dalbert Williams and moved to Coeur d’Alene. They had three children: Randy Williams, Steve Williams and Shannon Williams Reel. They raised their family in Dalton Gardens, where Deloris was a homemaker while Dalbert taught at several local schools, eventually retiring from Coeur d’Alene High School.
Dee, as she liked to be called, went back to school and graduated from North Idaho College in 1975. She was hired as a social worker for the State of Idaho and remained there until her retirement after 30 years. She was known for her professional yet caring demeanor with her clients.
Although Dee never learned to swim, some of her favorite times were spending summers on Lake Coeur d’Alene with her girlfriends and best friend, Berdena Kroetch, whom she went to school with in Harrison. Lifelong friends also include Dori Cowan White, Margaret Lightfoot and Betty Kameyer. Family and friends were very important to her and her love and support for them was endless. Over the years, she developed a love for fishing and soon outfished everyone around her!
Dee leaves behind her three children: Randy Williams of Coeur d’Alene, Steven Williams of Coeur d’Alene and Shannon Williams Reel of Newport, Wash.; grandchildren Lyle Williams of Pitman, N.J., and Sarah Reel of Bellingham, Wash.; siblings John Wilske of Rathdrum and Donna Wilkins of Coeur d’Alene. She is preceded in death by both parents; brother Robert Wilske; sisters Patricia Phelps, Carol Tenhoven and Diane Johnson and her grandson, Matthew Reel.
Dee was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend to all that knew and loved her. She will be missed deeply by many.
Due to the current circumstances, no service is scheduled at this time. Dee has requested her ashes be spread into Lake Coeur d’Alene, and her family will be honoring that.