Lucienne S. Williams

Lucienne S. Williams passed away peacefully with her family by her side at White Oak Nursing Home in Waxhaw, North Carolina, on February 27, 2026. She was 99.

Born on August 12, 1926, in Glenview, Illinois, Lucienne—known affectionately as Les to many—was predeceased by her husband Russell, her parents Ralph and Celeste Singer (née Cervetti), her beloved aunt Clelia Cervetti, and her sisters Yvonne Pauseback and Lonnie Mutti. She is survived by her son Russell Jr. (Cathy), her daughter Eden Bozza (Bob), grandchildren Alyssa (Bill), Evan (Allison), and Natalie, great-grandchildren Colin, Eva, Henley, and Cady, and many nieces and nephews.

A lifelong learner with a deep thirst for knowledge, Lucienne graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic grammar and high school, studied music at Barat College, and earned her master’s in music from Northwestern University, where she studied under Rosa Raisa and performed the lead role in the opera Louise. She taught music for several years before becoming a flight attendant for Pan American Airlines, an experience that took her around the world and introduced her to her future husband, Russ, on a blind date. They married, honeymooned across the globe, and raised their two children in Merrick, New York. While raising her family, she taught voice and piano at home, served as an adjunct professor at Long Island University, and sang for the Garden City Community Church and several other churches and synagogues. She and Russ later retired to Manchester Center, Vermont, before she moved to North Carolina to be near her children and their families after losing her husband.

An avid Chicago Cubs fan, accomplished seamstress, knitter, crocheter, cook, and gardener, Lucienne spoke three languages, took countless adult education classes, and appeared as a contestant on several game shows, including Jeopardy, Concentration, and The $10,000 Pyramid, which she won with her partner Clifton Davis. A woman of deep faith, she served as a eucharistic minister at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Manchester, Vermont, and volunteered at the local food bank and parish thrift shop. Her warmth, positivity, gratitude, and love of life touched everyone who knew her, and she will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to share in her remarkable journey.