Donna Jo Dj Williams

Donna Jo 'DJ' Williams was born May 18, 1944, raised in Downey, Calif. by a single mother and grandparents. She took Jesus as her Savior at age 10. She backslid and recommitted during her life, as most all sinners do. DJ passed into Jesus's arms on October 7, 2013 after her 3rd bout of breast cancer over a 17-year span. She was a full-charge bookkeeper for over 45 years for banks, attorney firms and construction companies. DJ finally went to college and got her AA Degree with Honors at age 52. The past 5 years she volunteered as P. V. Bethel Baptist Church Treasurer. At 19 DJ married Fred Twyman and had two fantastic and beloved sons. DJ and sons attended Corona First Baptist Church. The family loved their many animals, including a trained raccoon. The Twyman's rocky 14-year marriage ended in divorce but ultimately after Fred became a Christian and all was forgiven; they became loving friends to the end. After being a single parent and dating Jack Otten for 5 years, DJ and Jack married in 1984. Jack was from Holland, had fought against Hitler in WWII, then in Indonesia 4 years for the Dutch Army, then lived 12 years in Australia before moving to California. They moved to Prescott in 1989. Their 15-year marriage held six trips to various European countries, a month in Australia/New Zealand and DJ's first trip to Israel, etc. Though divorced in 1999, Jack and DJ remained fast friends until his death in 2011. During 1995 DJ experienced the greatest challenge and best blessing of her life. She worked with the Prescott 1st Baptist Church Outreach program and became the Advocate for a family of five and their dog living in the woods. The father was going blind and needed help appealing for S.S. Disability. Besides taking food and water into the woods many days each week and picking up the two young daughters to go to Sunday School, DJ wrote many newspaper articles and direct letters and had personal phone calls with the two Arizona senators on behalf of the family's needs. It took months, but one day a call came to bring the family into the Social Security office where they were told they had been approved from the 'higher ups' for disability retroactive to their claim date. DJ found them and the family's German Shepherd a house and had a fund raiser for furniture and the family lived their future out of fear for many years to come. God had blessed the entire process for all concerned. On a second trip to Israel in 2001, DJ met Don Williams. They were married five months later. God had put them together in the Holy Land. Jack and Don became friends and Jack gave away the bride at the church wedding. After two years Jack became too ill to live alone and Don asked him to come live with them. Jack did for four years till he had to go into a care home. The three had traveled on motor home trips and two trips to Jack's relatives in Holland. Don and DJ took Jack to Bethel Church regularly. With Don's example and talks with Pastor Berna, at age 85, Jack accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized, having Don at his back to help Pastor lift him up. Jack passed into heaven in January 2011. After DJ's oldest son, Fred, 46, died suddenly in June 2011, she began with symptoms of breast cancer in her stomach and colon. She fought it for two years and now is in eternity with God, her Savior Jesus and loved ones who have gone before. DJ will be interred next to her son in Menifee Valley Cemetery, California. A later memorial will be held at Bethel Baptist Church in Prescott Valley. DJ is survived by husband Don Williams; son James E.Twyman, certified Hypnotherapist and on his church's worship team; granddaughters Alyssa Twyman and Fallon Twyman; daughter-in-law Carolyn Twyman; her step-granddaughters Jennifer Washington and Natalie Grohosky and adopted niece Jenny Twyman Aviles and nephew Danny Twyman; her step-son and daughter-in-law Michael and Karen Williams; step-daughter Joy Williams; 99 year-old aunt LeOra Gibbs and five Gibbs cousins: Bill, Bob, Lloyd, Jim, and Mark; plus, all her beloved Christian Brothers and Sisters. She is preceded by her son Fred A. Twyman III, twenty-year Paloma Valley High School Math Teacher and Vice Mayor of Menifee, California.