Laura Hope Williams

Williams—Laura Hope Williams, 30, on July 3, 2020, in Olympia, Wash. Laura was born in Olympia on June 13, 1990, to Marvin Young and Fran Williams. She attended Avanti High School in Olympia. In June 2008, she graduated from the Meeting School in Rindge, N.H.

Laura was a member of Olympia (Wash.) Meeting. She attended gatherings of Friends General Conference and North Pacific Yearly Meeting. Laura could often be found on hikes, on ski trips, or in “cuddle puddles” at Lazy F Camp in Ellensburg, Wash.

Laura had been employed as a member of a fire crew, a laborer at a turf farm, and a parks maintenance crew member for the City of Tumwater, Wash. While working for Tumwater parks, Laura could be found listening to tunes as she drove a riding lawn mower, cleared out blackberries, dug up city streets, or painted fire hydrants elf-green. Laura was most recently employed by the Olympia Public Works water supply services.

Laura enjoyed hiking, photography, sailing, dinners with family or friends, and playing rugby, most recently with the Budd Bay Bandits rugby team.

She had a unique relationship with her “womb buddies,” a group of mostly Quakers born within a year of each other. They called themselves RCLAMS, after the initials of their first names. Laura knew this group of beautiful young women from an early age. As they grew up together, they built a stock of lifetime memories.

Friends at Olympia Meeting will deeply miss Laura’s smile and energy. A memorial was held in the manner of Friends on July 25, 2020.

Laura is survived by her parents, Marvin Young and Fran Williams; a brother, Brian Young; two uncles; one aunt; one cousin; and her paternal grandmother, Phoebe Young, whom she loved dearly, visiting her during holidays and family vacations.