Published: December 07, 2007 11:45 pm            

Menoher Heights woman enjoys helping others

Always one to serve others first, Leah Williams of Menoher Heights adjusts her schedule to whatever is needed.

Among her many accomplishments through the years is setting up every year for the Festival of the Nativity at First Presbyterian Church, 309 Lincoln St., downtown Johnstown.

This was the 24th year for the festival, and Williams has worked with all of them but the first three, which festival founder Lois Siehl took on herself.

She has been chairwoman in charge of corralling as many as 200 crèches in two- to three-year stints a number of times.

“It’s always a big job done in a short time,” Williams said. “It takes two to three months’ planning to make the program.”

Williams also is in charge of the musical section of the festival, keeping track of the many groups and soloists who perform in the church’s sanctuary.

“I have to call them, and I try to have a varied program,” she said. “I think people enjoy doing it.”

After so many years of managing mangers at her church, Williams has her own collection of nativity sets to decorate her home for Christmas.

Williams combined her love for the Christ child and her church with her career when she made a viewing for area nursing home residents an annual part of the festival.

Williams worked at the Presbyterian Home of Johnstown, 787 Goucher St. in Upper Yoder Township, from its inception in 1961 until 1998, when she retired as administrator.

“The home was started by the church, and I helped to open it,” Williams said.

“They needed someone to do social work, so I interviewed the residents who were going to come in.”

Williams then served as secretary/bookkeeper until 1980, when the home’s administrator died suddenly, and she found herself appointed assistant administrator.

“I had to study for one year to get my administrator’s license,” Williams said.

She became administrator in 1981 and oversaw some major building projects, including the enlargement of the kitchen and the addition of a wing.

“I was there almost 37 years,” Williams said. “I considered it a ministry. I had an open door policy with the staff and residents. They could feel free to share. I loved the residents and their families and became close with the staff.”

“I had the interests of the residents at heart. It was a labor of love. I ran the home with love and compassion.”

Williams considers her work at the Presbyterian Home a continuation of the calling to Christian service and ministry that brought her to Johnstown.

“It’s amazing how God’s hand was in so many of my decisions,” Williams said. “I was thankful to serve him. He led me throughout my career.”

Born in Pittsburgh, Williams came to Johnstown in 1954 at the request of the Rev. Carl Fisher, pastor of First Presbyterian at the time, to become director of Christian education at the church.

“I worked with the Sunday school, youth groups and retreats,” Williams said. “I did it full time until 1957, part time until I had children. I’ve always been active in youth work.”

Williams met her husband, Bill, former music teacher and owner of Williams Music Gallery on Main Street, through youth activities at First Presbyterian.

After seeing Williams’ picture three times – twice in newspaper articles about her position at First Presbyterian and once in the Grove City College yearbook – Bill Williams decided he had better meet this young woman.

Family remains important to Williams, from her three sons and five grandchildren, who all live within an half-hour of her home, to extended family as far as Arizona.

“We had 24 for Thanksgiving, but who counts after 10,” Williams said. “We get together as a family often. I enjoy their company and getting to see the grandchildren grow.”

Williams does most of the cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas and guests bring desserts.

Since family members are involved in the annual Turkey Bowl – one son on the football field and her husband and other sons in the band – Williams interrupts her preparations to go watch part of the game.

Music is a big part of family life.

“My sons sing with their dad in a quartet,” Williams said. “It thrills me to hear them. They sing for church and for dinners.”

Williams has pressed the Williams quartet into service when she has needed a backup group to sing for the Nativity festival.

She also gets a chance to perform for the festival herself as a member of First Presbyterian’s bell choir.

Williams also is a member of First Presbyterian’s choir, which husband Bill directs, and enjoys rehearsals with the combined choirs who perform at the fest.

Williams and her husband serve their church and their love of music by acting as contacts for the artists who perform for the Chamber Music Series of Greater Johnstown’s concerts, which uses First Presbyterian as a venue.

“We set up and make sure there’s a place to sell tickets and take care of whatever the artists want, including dinner,” Williams said.

“Whatever needs to be done. I like to work behind the scenes at the church.”

Williams, who is 75 but says doesn’t feel it, said in her business, she most enjoys doing things for others.

“We’re at the church four days a week,” she said. “I like to visit the elderly and take them goodies. There’s no wondering what to do when you’re retired.”

Williams takes a break from her busy life to go walking with her husband and to chronicle her family’s history through scrapbooking.

She has crafted a scrapbook on her history with her husband and another on the Williams family building their own home.

“I made one for each child and gave it to them for Christmas, and they told me it was the best gift they ever received,” Williams said.

The hardest times of Williams’ life have been caring for aging parents and a sick brother and her own bout with cancer.

Williams was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and after undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, has come out the other side with five cancer-free years.

“God saw me through it,” Williams said.

“I would do it all again.

“God gave me the strength. He’s the only way to get through.”

        

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