Helen Marie Williams

Helen Marie Williams, née Rizan, age 94, passed away on March 11, 2026, in Hialeah, Florida, where she had made her home since 1953.

Born on January 2, 1932, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Henry J. Rizan and Helen (Thompson) Rizan, Helen was the youngest of four children. She grew up alongside her three brothers, Henry Jr., James, and Philip, and was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church on January 7, 1932.

In 1951, while working at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, she met and married Air Force Staff Sergeant Hamilton Navarro “Buddy” Williams of Key West, Florida. The couple celebrated their first wedding anniversary in 1952 with the birth of their son Michael Lawrence. Three more sons followed: Christopher in 1959, Patrick in 1962, and Gregory in 1971. After settling in Hialeah, Helen devoted herself to raising her children and creating a warm, loving home. Widowed in 1979, she never remarried, instead dedicating the rest of her life to the care of her sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A longtime and faithful member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, she gave generously of her time through volunteer work. She also cherished travel, whether visiting family in Texas, skiing in Colorado, cruising the Caribbean and Alaska, or taking long road trips across the country.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Hamilton Navarro “Buddy” Williams, and her eldest son, Michael Lawrence Williams. She is survived by her sons Christopher, Patrick, and Gregory Williams, nine grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and extended family members.

She will be remembered for her deep faith, steadfast devotion to family, generous spirit, and the quiet love she offered to everyone who knew her.