Joan Williamson

Joan Williamson (born Dorothy Joan Whitaker) of Orem, Utah was a collector. She lived a vibrant life of “collecting” for nearly 89 years — and only stopped when she died peacefully at home with her beloved family by her side on January 18, 2025.

Yes, she collected many things throughout her life. These are a few examples:

Porcelain Lladró figurines. These can be found on various shelves around the house. Grandchildren have admired, handled, steered clear of, and of course, broken a few.

Stuffed Donald Ducks. Travel souvenirs (including, perhaps, too many elephants).

Puzzles. Joan has put together her fair share — shoulder-to-shoulder with family members and friends. Often with General Conference sessions and BYU football games on the TV — and the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen.

Photos of her family. These prized possessions can be found on the fridge, on walls, on her much-used baby grand piano, and on virtually every surface around the house (there are no guarantees that the grandkids on the fridge still look like that).

She has collected talents (many of them):
Playing the piano. Cooking. Keeping everything meticulously organized (sometimes to a fault). Needlework. Traveling. Reading. Budgeting. Saving. Sewing.

But most of all — Joan was a collector of people.

These were her most prized possessions — and her most numerous. People brought her joy, fulfillment, laughter, excitement, entertainment, and endless opportunities for service.

The family she collected was not insignificant: Her parents (Doris and Judge), her three siblings (Bill, Carol, and Mike), her husband (Gary), her four children (Bryan, Karin, Kristin, and Craig — and their spouses Sharla, Charlie, Jeff, and Karen), seventeen grandchildren and their spouses (too many to list), 34 great-grandchildren, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and so many others, forward, sideways, and back. And she loved them all.

She collected even more people to love on her missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One in Norway and one at the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. She collected more friends than you can imagine in the congregations where she lived throughout her life.

Yes, her collection of people brought her joy. But one thing is certain — she also brought them joy. She made them feel loved and cared for. And anyone who was on the receiving end of that bright glimmering smile knows what we’re talking about.

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A viewing will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 9:45 a.m. MT at the Sharon 6th Ward Chapel in Orem, Utah (545 South 800 East, Orem, Utah 84097). The funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same location. A graveside service will be held at 12:30 p.m. at Eastlawn Memorial in Provo (4800 North 650 East, Provo, Utah 84604). A family luncheon will follow at the Sharon 6th Ward in Orem from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

We encourage all who knew and loved Joan to share their memories and upload photos to her memorial page.