March 23, 2020
It is with sadness that we share the passing of Emily Marie (Spence) Williams, 93, of Rimbey, Alberta. Marie passed away on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at Red Deer Regional Hospital, after suffering a stroke in her suite at Valley View Manor, Rimbey.
The daughter of Clarence Campbell Spence and Olive Mary-Rose (Letourneau) Spence of Rimbey, Marie grew up in Saskatoon and Edmonton, attended Edmonton Schools and the University of Alberta, graduating Magna cum Laude in Arts. She went on to study Classics at Bryn Mawr College (Pennsylvania), after which she researched early Mycenaen civilization at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. Upon her return to Canada, Marie accepted a position at McGill University.
She later moved back to Alberta to marry Douglas Williams of Rimbey and partnered with him in farming. In addition, she lectured in the Classics department at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. After Douglas' death in 1998, Marie travelled extensively in Europe and Asia.
She also enjoyed the Opera in Santa Fe, New York, Calgary and Edmonton. In spite of two knee replacements, Marie passionately took on clogging, learning new steps at workshops in Edmonton, Lethbridge and Nanaimo.
Marie is survived by her brother, Matthew and his wife Cynthia, of Edmonton, and Ian and his wife Aileen, of Nyack, New York. Due to the Covid pandemic, a celebration of life will be held at a later date.