Farewell to an ‘angel’

Andrew Glazer

CORONA DEL MAR -- More than 700 friends and family members of Rosalind

Williams -- a woman Msgr. Lawrence Baird described as “an angel you had

the privilege of knowing on this side of heaven” -- gathered Friday to

reminisce about her life and mourn her death.

Williams, 55, was the beloved, exuberant and tenacious president and CEO

of the Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. She died Sunday of

complications from a five-year battle against breast cancer.

Many of the mourners gathered at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church

-- including Williams’ two surviving sons, Gregg Williams, 25, and Jeff

Williams, 29 -- spoke of her voracity for life and appetite for activity.

Her husband of five years, Rick John, greeted them with a hug when they

returned to their seats.

“I know you’d all like to believe she’s here with us,” said Gregg

Williams. “But she’s far too busy right now organizing some sort of

function in heaven.”

Williams was the consummate promoter of Newport Beach, nearly always on

the phone luring international conferences, sporting events, and cultural

spectacles to the city. Under her direction, the bureau drew tourists and

spectators here for the Toshiba Senior Classic golf tournament and the

Newport-to-Ensenada International Yacht Race.

Her son Jeff told the packed room that he once scolded his mother three

years ago for continuing to work while receiving cancer treatment at Hoag

Hospital. She was interviewing a prospective employee while “receiving

chemo, with her little bald head and an oxygen tube in her nose.”

“She snapped back,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd, who all

could picture the scene. “She said ‘rest might be fine and dandy, but I

have a staff position to fill by Monday morning.’ ”

Jeff Williams, who will marry his fiancee’ Megan Montgomery on Aug. 29,

said he was elated his mother had a chance to get to know his wife-to-be.

The two women went to Los Angeles together to see Montgomery’s wedding

dress a few weeks ago. Rosalind Williams called her son from the car to

say it was one of the happiest days in her life.

Gregg Williams told the mourners about a Williams family tradition. Each

night, the family gathered to toast the sunset, and reflect on their

favorite part of the day.

“I know it will be some time,” he said. “But when we meet in heaven, you

pick the sunset and I’ll bring the wine.”