36^th wedding anniversary for Mike & Jane Williams

BJ Advertising Art retiree Mike Williams (BJ 1968-2012) and Jane Williams, who know how to enjoy life in North, Central and South America, celebrated their 39^th wedding anniversary March 19.

Jane & Mike on wedding day

They spend a lot of time in Ecuador, where Jane became familiar with the country and its people before she met Mike. Usually two to three months each stay.

Jane is Mike’s interpreter for the Spanish because “she speaks it much better than me,” Mike said.

Among the places they languished in was Cuenca, Ecuador at an altitude of 8,400 feet and looking at scenery that's up to 13,000 feet.

Mike and Jane have two sons, independent trucker Nathan Williams (they keep track of where he is via SmartPhone’s locator) and chemical engineer Trevor Williams. Mike retired in December 2012 after 44 years, including coming under whimsical John Grimm’s wing in 1976.

Mark started in Advertising part-time in 1968 after bugging Ben James for a job during visits home from a freshman year at Ohio State. Retail Ad Mgr. Jim Muckley hired Mike full-time in 1971 in the Ad Services department. 

Jane & Mike today

Mike’s sister, BJ information technology retiree Linda Williams Torson, is married to Akron-Summit County Metroparks retiree Tim Torson. Linda was with the Beacon Journal for 42 years.

Another sister, former clinical dietician Cindy Williams Chima, worked in the BJ classified phone room in the 1970s and writes fiction novels for young adults.

Linda started in the Beacon Journal classified phone room in the summer at age 16 before her senior year in high school (1969). Helen Becton, manager in the phone room at the time, got a two-fer:  Linda's twin Cindy Williams started at the same time.