JEANETTE WILLIAMS obituary

Jeanette Kay Williams, 53, of Havre died Monday, March 20, 2006.

A service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church. Interment will be in the Lustre Mennonite Brethren Church Cemetery in Lustre, where all her grandparents are buried.

Jeanette was born Aug. 24, 1952, in Glasgow to Elvin and Selma Olfert. She grew up on the family farm in Lustre and enjoyed her family, including being around her grandparents. At an early age, she came to faith in Jesus Christ and grew firm in that faith. She attended schools in Lustre and graduated from Lustre Christian High School in 1970. Following high school, she attended Northern Montana College. She became a licensed practical nurse and worked at Northern Montana Hospital for nine years.

Jeanette was married to Bob Williams, another student at NMC, in December 1972. After ending her work at the hospital, she co-managed Bob's Cycle World in Havre. Together, they toured every state in the continental United States and every province in Canada by motorcycle. She had many fond memories and photos of their travels. After the marriage ended in divorce, Jeanette explored new career options. When an opening came at Northern Montana Hospital for a pharmaceutical technician, she found a challenging career, combining her learned skills as a former LPN with her parts-department expertise. She quickly mastered the material and passed all levels of testing within months.

During the last few years, Jeanette faced many challenging times. Treasuring the friends she made at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church and Havre Alliance Church, she grew in her faith, accepting with dignity, grace and peace the direction God had allowed her life to take. She did not sit back and wait for life to happen. Jeanette visited people, baking cookies, banana bread and other goodies to take to friends, to the Anchor Academy and to those who she thought could use a bit of cheering up. She loved serving others in this way. She also continued to travel, visiting Utah, Glacier National Park and other scenic places while developing her skill of photography. To her enjoying God's creation was worshiping the Creator. Also, there were trips to Seattle, getting to know her nieces and nephews and enjoying family.

In early July 2005, Jeanette was diagnosed with clear cell ovarian cancer. Of course she was frightened, but again with courage and grace, she faced the treatments and surgeries ahead of her. Throughout her struggle, she maintained a spirit of peace and hope, knowing that Jesus Christ would guide her life and care for her. Over the last years, her family has heard the names of many friends and little things they have done that meant so much to her. These people became her family as well.

Jeanette is survived by her parents, Elvin and Selma Olfert of Lustre; brothers, Ken (Robin) Olfert, Ron (Etta) Olfert; numerous nieces and nephews; and her German shepherd companions, Carly and Maggie.

Memorials in Jeanette's name can be sent to the Havre Art Association at 220 Third Ave., Suite 301, Havre, MT 59501, or to the Anchor Academy at HC 30, Box 100, Havre, MT 59501.