Margaret J. Williams

Margaret J. Williams, or Peg, as she was known to her family and many friends, age 87, passed away Sunday, August 21, 2022 at her residence in Sebring, Ohio after a courageous, nearly eight year battle against multiple myeloma, complicated recently by COVID.  Peg was born September 22, 1934 in Berlin Center, Ohio, the daughter of Joseph and Anna Ondrejko.  She was raised in Berlin Center and graduated from high school there in 1952.  She attended Youngstown College (now Youngstown State University) and worked as a secretary at Truscon Steel in Youngstown prior to her marriage on August 27, 1955, to James H. Williams, “Jim” her high school sweetheart.  Following marriage and a move to Columbus, Ohio, to be with Jim, a law student at The Ohio State University, she was employed as a secretary and office manager in Columbus.

Peg moved to the Alliance area with her husband and children in 1961 and soon became involved in the life of her adopted community.   That year she became a member of First Methodist Church of Alliance, now Christ United Methodist Church, where she was active in a number of roles, including the United Methodist Women, which she served as president, the Dorcas Circle, of which she was president and treasurer, member and chairperson of many committees of the church and a member of the Voyagers and Searchers Sunday School classes.   Peg was also involved in the community as president of the Jay-C-Ettes, president of the Postscript Club, and was a former member of the Alliance Area Republican Club and the Alliance Country Club.  She was also a former member of Stark County Lawyers Wives.  Her community service included working in the Alliance office of the Stark County Board of Elections, serving as a poll worker, volunteering on behalf of numerous political candidates and delivering Meals on Wheels for the YWCA.  Peg and Jim re-located to Copeland Oaks Retirement Community in 2013.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Jim; her children, James H., Jr. (Lynda) of Franklin, PA and Susan M. Zempke (Steve) of Mt. Vernon, TX; and  four grandsons,  Matthew J. Williams (Kelsey) of Los Angeles, CA,  David Edwin Williams (Racheal Kimeu) of Jersey City, NJ,  Andrew S. Zempke (Kimberley) of Arlington, TX, and Kevin W. Zempke of Plano, TX.

Peg was preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Rosemarie, Ann Myers, Mary Harmon and brothers Joe and Paul.

Services, with Pastor John Partridge and Pastor L. Chris Martin, co-officiating, will be held at Christ United Methodist Church on Friday, August 26 at 11:30 a.m.  Friends may call from 10:00-11:30 a.m.

A private family committal service and entombment will be conducted at Highland Memorial Park later that afternoon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Christ United Methodist Church, 470 E. Broadway, Alliance, OH 44601 or The Oaks Foundation, 715 S. Johnson Rd., Sebring, OH 44672.

Arrangements are entrusted to Cassaday-Turkle-Christian Funeral Home 75 South Union Ave Alliance, Ohio 44601.