Laura Lee (Gaspee) Williams

UXBRIDGE, MA - It is with great sadness that the family of Laura Lee (Gaspee) Williams, 82, announces her passing, at home, on Friday, September 5, 2025, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was a beloved wife, loving mother, talented musician, compassionate animal lover, generous friend, and woman of faith.

Laura Lee was born on Tuesday, December 15, 1942, to Albert and Florence Gaspee in Brawley, California. A spirited tomboy, Laura Lee loved playing sports as a young person. She often got in trouble for playing baseball and basketball with the boys—which was strictly forbidden at the time—at Monterey Bay Academy, where she graduated from high school in 1960.

Laura Lee met and married Dennis Williams, the boy next door, in a whirlwind romance in 1963. Six years later, the couple was thrilled to welcome their daughter Michelle, the baby for whom they had prayed. Laura Lee had originally wanted 5 boys (enough for a basketball team, of course), but said that Michelle was not only their “prayer baby,” but probably more expensive to raise than those 5 boys would have been.

Thirty years after graduating from high school, Laura Lee went back to school at Mount Wachusett Community College and completed an AA in General Studies in 1991, and an AA in Business Administration in 1992. Her occupational life encompassed a wide range of mostly administrative-type jobs in companies and businesses large and small, including insurance claims adjuster, harvester, machine operator, relocation coordinator, bank teller, administrative assistant, Emergency Department ward clerk, MRO purchasing manager, and many others.

Laura Lee often enjoyed her work, but her main passion in life, beyond her family, was music. There was never a time in Laura Lee’s life when music wasn’t a part of her daily routine, from singing solos, duets, or trios with her lovely soprano voice, directing or singing in church and community choirs, playing or maintaining handbells, trying out several different instruments, or simply listening to WCRB, the classical music station on the radio, on her commute.

Another passion of Laura Lee’s, although secondary to music, was animals--cats in particular. She often talked Dennis into letting her welcome cats and kittens in need into their home, or simply surprised him with them. Her heart eventually expanded to include the occasional dog, and then, when Michelle began rescuing other animals--like rabbits and sheep and goats—Laura Lee wholeheartedly embraced them all (except snakes; she never liked snakes). She loved to watch the animals outside the windows at their home, or visit the animals when they were housed off-site. She was a generous financial supporter of Lyric Farm, and delighted in meeting all the new rescues.

Laura Lee’s compassion was not restricted to animals, for she loved people, too. She loved to give gifts—you could say it was her love language—and helping others was a part of the fabric of her life. Often, if she knew of a need that she could fill for someone, especially if they could not fill it for themselves, she would do so with great joy and anticipation of the recipient’s surprise and pleasure. If you were a recipient of her affection and or assistance, and it was a material object being gifted, you may have received multiples of that item, possibly in several different colors, for her mottos seemed to be, “if one is good, 37 is better,” and “it’s nice to have options!”

Laura Lee’s desire to do good stemmed from living out her deep faith. She loved her Savior, Jesus Christ, and never said no to an invitation to sing about Him if she could say yes—that was a promise she made to Jesus, and was faithful to keep. When Alzheimer’s Disease began taking its toll, and she was no longer readily recognizing the places around her, she still recognized that her church was the House of God and a safe and welcoming place for her to be. As her memories eroded even more, if she was in a situation that caused her anxiety, when even her family members looked like strangers, she would cry out to Jesus for protection. It was heartbreaking to her family not to be able to reassure and comfort her, however it was immensely consoling to know she still had her Jesus, just like He’s always promised.

Now Laura Lee sleeps, no longer in pain, confusion, or fear. She’s peacefully awaiting the day when Jesus will come back, awaken her healthy and whole, and take her home with Him. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Laura Lee She is survived by her husband of almost 62 years, Dennis Williams: daughter Michelle Lee Williams and son-in-law Christopher Elsbree; sister Sheryl Baker; niece Tori Williams; nephew Ted Baker (Laura); niece Kathryn Baker Curtis (Jeremiah); one grandniece, 3 grandnephews, numerous friends, and an animal sanctuary full of farm animals that she loved and who loved her. She is preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law Timothy Baker.

A musical Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 4:00 pm at The College Church of SDA, 337 Main Street, South Lancaster, MA. The service will be live-streamed at https://www.collegechurch.net/live-stream. Remembrances are welcomed at rememberinglauralee@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Refuge at Lyric Farm in memory of Laura Lee would be greatly appreciated. (https://lyricfarm.com/)

Arrangements are under the care of Kelly Cremation & Funeral Care, 154 Lincoln Street, Worcester.