Williams was born as
Edith Roosevelt Derby in
New York City to Dr. Richard Derby and
Ethel Carow Roosevelt of the
Roosevelt family. She was the second child of Dr. and Mrs. Derby and the eldest daughter. Her maternal grandparents were
President Theodore Roosevelt and First Lady
Edith Roosevelt. She was actively involved in
Republican politics and addressed the
1960 Republican National Convention, seconding the nomination of
Richard Nixon. Later she founded the Vashon Island Health Center. For forty years, she was the Republican Committeewoman for the state of
Washington. In 1975, Williams was named to the
board of trustees for the
University of Washington, where she served until 1981. Mrs. Williams served on the board of trustees for the
Theodore Roosevelt Association where she received the Rose Award in 2004 for her many years of service and dedication to the organization. Williams was also recognised for her work in behalf of
conservation and promoting a healthier environment by reducing
pollution. In 1941, she married Andrew "Mike" Murray Williams (1916–1998). After
World War II in 1946, the family moved to
Washington and settled in the
Seattle area. They lived on Federal Ave in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle in a home designed and built by the legendary architect, Carl Gould. The home contained several important historical artifacts including china from the Roosevelt White House, pieces of which are in the Smithsonian. The family had three children, Andrew Murray Jr. (1942–2004), Richard Derby (born 1944), and Sarah Gilmore (born 1948).
Bruce K. Chapman is her son-in-law and husband to Sarah. Williams died on June 8, 2008 after breaking her hip at her
Vashon Island,
Washington home. She was 90. ==References==