Obituary of Elaine Williams Rexroad

Elaine L. (Williams) Rexroad passed away on Feb. 28, 2018 at the age of 89 with her loving husband Robert, 97, by her side.  Elaine was the daughter of J.S. Williams, Jr. and Mildred L. Hunt, and granddaughter of San Jose civic leader and clothier John Sheldon (J.S.) Williams and Antoinette Dubois.

Born and raised in San Jose, Elaine attended Lincoln High School and Stanford University before graduating from San Jose State University. She maintained lifelong friendships with classmates from both high school and college, and was a proud SJSU alumni member.  She was a member of Alpha Phi sorority and a member of Charity League.

Elaine worked as a secretary for the San Jose Unified School District until she and Bob relocated to Aptos, then continued her career with the Pajaro Valley School District.  She was a long time member of the Rio Del Mar Tennis Club and in retirement, a volunteer at the Corralitos Library and Valencia School, as well as a docent at Sea Cliff Beach Visitor Center.  Throughout her life, she was an avid SF Giants and 49ers fan.  She was also extremely proud to be a 40 year cancer survivor.

Elaine and Bob met in San Jose in 1948, were married two years later, and soon had two sons, Patrick and Michael. They celebrated their 67th Wedding Anniversary in June. 

She lost her father at an early age and was lovingly raised by her mother and step-father Wendell C. (Jerry) Day.  Elaine loved to travel, and followed in the footsteps of Jerry and Mildred, visiting distant countries including Australia and China.

Her favorite destination was Hawaii’s Kona Coast, where she and Bob vacationed for many years for months at a time enjoying the beauty of the island, the company of their friends, the warm climate, and the friendly atmosphere. She truly loved spending time on the Big Island, and it became her home-away-from-home.

As a loving mother, Elaine took great joy in following the activities and careers of her sons, Patrick and Michael. She was always in attendance at their youth baseball and football games, stayed involved in their lives, and was delighted when the family grew larger through marriages and grandchildren. One of Elaine’s greatest joys was spending time in the company of friends and family, as she was very social and known for her outgoing personality.

She is survived by her husband Robert, sons Patrick and Michael, daughters-in-law Kerry and Christine, and grandchildren Gillian and Taryn.  She was preceded in death by her brother, J.S. Williams III.

Elaine requested no formal services. The family wishes to thank all of those who helped to care for her in the past year.   The family can be contacted at hualalai8271@gmail.com

 

 

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