Susan Estelle Williams

Susan Estelle Williams, 73, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully in Missoula, Montana on May 9, 2026. 

She was born November 24, 1952, in Suffern, New York, to Hank and Wilma Williams. As the daughter of an engineer, Sue spent much of her childhood moving around the country before her family settled in Southern California. Having lived in so many places early in life, she developed a lifelong love of travel and continued exploring throughout the years, recently enjoying cruises to Alaska and Hawaii.

Sue earned her degree in Speech Communication from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, and later spent more than three decades working in real estate as a Realtor, licensed assistant, and office manager. She built lasting friendships everywhere she went and was known for her warmth, humor, loyalty, and ability to make people feel welcome.

She loved true crime podcasts, weeklong cruises to anywhere in the Pacific, crisp Vermont autumns spent with friends, road trips with her family, and getting lost in a good book. A voracious reader and collector of the original Nancy Drew books, Sue always appreciated a good mystery. Her love of fun and new experiences even led to her family becoming champions on Family Feud in 1982. Every morning started with an Americano, and she remained fiercely loyal to Coca-Cola while maintaining a lifelong refusal to tolerate Pepsi.

Sue was deeply involved in her children’s lives and was the kind of mom who showed up for Girl Scout meetings, baseball games, choir concerts, school plays, and all the little moments in between. She gave her kids a childhood filled with attention, encouragement, and joy, creating memories through countless days spent at the zoo, children’s museums, Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and neighborhood parks. Jennifer and Chris lovingly referred to her as the “MacGyver of the kitchen” for her uncanny ability to make a full dinner appear when the cupboards seemed completely empty. 

More than anything, Sue was an incredible mother and friend. She was the person you called when life fell apart, when something wonderful happened, or when you simply needed someone to listen. She made childhood magical for her children and adulthood feel less lonely for the people she loved. Her love was steady, comforting, and woven into the fabric of the lives around her in ways that will be impossible to replace.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hank and Wilma Williams, and her brother, Buddy Williams.

Sue is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Williams, and her son, Christopher McNutt, along with extended family and many dear friends who became family over the years.

The world feels quieter without her in it. She will be missed beyond words and remembered in autumn leaves, mystery novels, morning coffee, warm conversations, and every seemingly small moment that turns into a lifelong memory.