It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our mother, Dr. Emily Jane Cole Williams. She passed away quietly March 11, 2026 in Boca Raton, Fla., with her youngest daughter, Anna Thomas, by her side.
Emily, the daughter of Homer and Louise Cole, grew up in Radford, which she always considered her home. While in college she married and became an Army wife, travelling the world. Her love of learning and her appreciation of other cultures made her especially suited for this life, and she passed these loves on to her children.
Emily was a quiet, thoughtful woman who had a career as a teacher and then, later in life, she returned to school and earned her Doctorate in Psychology. She went on to specialize for the state of North Carolina working with families in crisis. Her patience and her innate kindness were appreciated by many as she mended families and protected children.
She will be missed deeply by her siblings, Susan Graham (Arch), Anne Aker (Don), Kristin Abernathy (Ronald), and Michael Cole (Sharon). She is survived by her three children, Robert Williams (Linda), Ashley Williams (Rich) and Anna Thomas, her 10 grandchildren, and her three great-grandchildren. We all will miss her greatly.
