Edith Roosevelt Derby Williams (June 17, 1917 – June 8, 2008) was an American

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

and conservationist. She was a member of the

Roosevelt family The Roosevelt family is an American political family from New York whose members have included two United States presidents, a First Lady, and various merchants, bankers, politicians, inventors, clergymen, artists, and socialites. The progeny ...

and a granddaughter of the 26th president of the United States

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

Biography

Williams was born as Edith Roosevelt Derby in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

to Dr. Richard Derby and Ethel Carow Roosevelt of the

. She was the second child of Dr. and Mrs. Derby and the eldest daughter. Her maternal grandparents were

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

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 Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

. 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 A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

for the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

, 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 Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...

. In 1941, she married Andrew "Mike" Murray Williams (1916–1998). After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in 1946, the family moved to Washington and settled in the

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

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, 2008http://www.antonnews.com/oysterbayenterprisepilot/2008/06/20/obituaries/ Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot obituary after breaking her hip at her Vashon Island, Washington home. She was 90.

References

External links

Theodore Roosevelt Association

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Edith Derby 1917 births 2008 deaths 20th-century American historians 21st-century American historians 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers Writers from New York City American people of Dutch descent Edith Williams Schuyler family Bulloch family People from Long Island Washington (state) Republicans American women historians People from Vashon, Washington Historians from New York (state) Historians from Washington (state)