Helen Elizabeth Williams

It is with profound sorrow that the family of Dr. Helen E. Williams announce her sudden and unexpected passing on May 21, as she was called home to be with her Lord and Saviour.

Born Helen Elizabeth Pervitin to Finnish immigrant parents Boris and Toini Pervitin, she was raised in Etobicoke, Ontario alongside her sister Anne Marie. From an early age, Helen’s insatiable thirst for knowledge was matched only by her remarkable musical gift. She simultaneously completed a piano performance degree at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto while earning her undergraduate and Doctor of Dentistry degrees at the University of Toronto, a testament to her extraordinary discipline and dedication. It was there that she met her husband and partner Craig R. Williams. The couple married in 1980 and made their home in Barrie, Ontario, where they built a family dental practice together.

Helen was a healer in the truest sense. Her compassion extended well beyond the walls of her practice to embrace those who are often overlooked, including patients with special needs, and children from the Chernobyl region who came under her care through a recurring relief program she supported for many years.

Helen found her deepest joy and purpose in her relationship with Jesus Christ and in the study of Scripture, both in her own quiet devotion and within her church community. In her final moments, Helen was not alone. Craig was by her side when she was first taken ill, and remained close as she was tenderly cared for in RVH in the hours that followed. She slipped peacefully into eternity surrounded by all of her loving family.

She is survived by her husband Craig, and her beloved daughters Janna (wife of James Mathews) and Elle.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Legacy Funeral Home, 55 Cedar Point Drive, Barrie, Ontario, (entrance and parking on hwy 400 side of building) on Friday, June 12, beginning with visitation at 2:00 p.m. and a service in the chapel at 4:00 o’clock p.m.

Those wishing to honour Helen’s memory are invited to make a donation to Radical Ministries at radical.net, to “make Jesus known everywhere”.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” — Psalm 121:1–2