Allyce A. Williams (Sandy)
August 3, 1935 - July 24, 2017
Our sweet girl, our Mom, our Nana, our best friend and our fearless protector passed away peacefully at home with family, of Pancreatic Cancer on July 24th, 2017. She had fought for 3 years with a positive attitude and incredible bravery! Ultimately, her body became weak and after 3 bites of ice cream, she said, “I am done, I am tired.”
She was Mom to Terri L. Nappi (Joseph), Jeff (Jeanne), Rick (Sue) and Kat Villasenor. She was Grandma and “Nana” to her grandkids, Melissa (Paul), Robert (Heather), Mike, Lauren (Craig), Ricky, Joey, Alexandria, Carmen and her step grandchildren Sean (Jackie), Jason (Annalise), and Justin (Kristina). She was also known as Mom to Meri Asaro, all the kids from the fabulous neighborhood she raised us in Daly City, on Longview Drive and the people who came through the door on Vermont Street, in San Francisco. She helped raise her last granddaughter, Alexandria and in doing so, she was known as “Nana” all over the “City,” whether it be at Jackson Park, Daniel Webster School, Rooftop School, the Boys and Girls Club. She was a real “Grandma” and the kids would flock to her.
She loved her greatgrand babies, Hazel Rose, Harper Rose and she took to a special little one Hudson (Meri) with keen interest, protection and love. They all brought her great joy and happiness. She loved being sent pictures of these beautiful little ones!
Mom was the baby of her family and the first of the siblings to pass away. She is survived by her beloved brother, Robert E. Eckert (Dottie) of Lompoc, California, sisters-Phyllis Watanabe (Washington), and Betty Jean King (Florida), her beloved cousin, Douglas Fitts (Arkansas) and many nieces and nephews. She was born Allyce Ann Eckert to Melvin John (Pete) and Ethel Louise (Louise) Eckert in the small Central Coast town of Lompoc. She was raised with strong family values and to always help in the Community. Grandma and Grandpa opened their home to the military families coming into town to visit and hosted many family/holiday dinners for the service men. Back in the day (1950’s), Lompoc had an Army Military base. At one of the USO dances, she met the city guy, Bill Williams from San Francisco, who was stationed in Lompoc. She married him on July 14th, 1956 and moved to San Francisco (Potrero Hill) and never went back. In 1965, she moved to Daly City to raise her kids and came back to Potrero Hill in 1989 to live with her daughter, Kat and granddaughter Alexandria. Potrero Hill was home and held many memories. Sandy was a small town girl who loved the big city with all its action, culture and diversity.
Mom was an easy going woman, did not say a lot, observed more and when she told you what she thought, she had the situation right. She was a straight shooter…no B.S. out of her. She enjoyed people and conversation. She liked to know what was going on, but would not gossip. She was the one to help or have the family help when there was a need and the door was open, offered a meal, and were taken care of like family. No matter if you were a neighbor, a kid in the neighborhood, or a friend of any one her children.
Our family will always be grateful for the extra time we had with her and that would have never been possible without the care of Acupuncturist, Alexander Trevisan, LAC of Harmony Healing Arts who took all his skill and knowledge to keep her strong throughout her treatments and surgeries. Michelle Sandoval, our family member, who sent her healings. We thank Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, Dr. Kristine Lee, Dr. Craig Munroe, Dr. Charles Binkley and Dr. John Shaia for giving our family precious time with this very special Mom!
She would always say that she was a rich person if she had a roof over her head, food to feed her family and she was able to pay her bills. Family is everything and your family is not only your blood but who you choose to have in your life. Thank you Mom...Nana… Friend…Neighbor for being such a great teacher. You left us with a lifetime of examples to live by and for that we are FOREVER grateful!!! We will miss you!
A Celebration of Life tribute will be held on Sunday, August 27, 2017 from 1 to 5 p.m., at the Mariposa Hunters Point Yacht Club, 405 Terry Francois Blvd. San Francisco (near the ballpark).