Elaine Williams

Elaine (Tomlin) Williams, aged 76, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on October 8, 2023. Elaine’s life was one of service to others.

Elaine was born on March 14, 1947, in Lexington, Kentucky, to the late Reverend George Ray and Sybil (Bowden) Tomlin. After graduating from Asbury University in 1969, she attended graduate school at the University of Kentucky where she met her husband, Steve Williams.

Steve and Elaine Williams moved to Cookeville, Tennessee, in 1970 to teach at Tennessee Technological University. After leaving the university, Elaine held different positions in the Putnam County area, notably as a mental health counselor for Plateau Mental Health Center and as a grant writer for the Upper Cumberland Development District. In 2002, she opened Sunshine Caregiving Services, which provided respite care for caregivers. In 2007, she sold the business and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, to be close to her daughter.

While in Indianapolis, Elaine served as a grant writer for the Indiana Primary Health Care Association, winning national awards for her work. Most importantly to her, she worked with local, state, and federal governmental agencies to procure the funds to build free and low-cost health care clinics across the state.

Elaine is survived by her daughter, Laura (Allen) Town, and two grandsons, Lucas and Griffin, all of Zionsville, Indiana. She is also survived by her sister, Nancy Hendren of Oxford, Florida; her nephew, Rev. Harold (Donna) Hendren of The Villages, Florida; and her niece Sandra (Mark) Davis of Jacksonville, Florida. Elaine also has five grand nieces and nephews and two great-grand nieces and nephews.

Elaine’s life will be celebrated at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86^th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana on November 9, 2023 at 11 am. In lieu of donations, please send flowers. Flowers will be donated after the ceremony.