• Alexa Williams

Alexa Lynn Williams, born February 25, 1986, passed away unexpectedly on the morning of October 26, 2019, from an apparent overdose.

She is survived by her loving husband, James Matthew Clement; their son, Ethan Matthew Clement; her mother, April Kovolick Williams, and her partner, Peter Hayden; aunt and uncle Amanda and Ariel Miranda; cousin Ariel Miranda; aunt Kate Kovolick Cook; great-aunt Barbara Poeter Salls and her husband, Derick; her father, Jeffrey Warren Williams, and his wife, Carol Ann Williams; her brother, Jason Warren Williams, and his wife, Kiersten Lea Williams; her nephew, August Warren Williams; her stepsister Harmony and her husband, Kurt Shangraw; niece and nephew Zuzu and Cash Rooney; her grandfather Thomas Warren Williams and his wife, Helen Williams; great-aunt and -uncle Lorraine and John R. Williams; cousin Stacy Lee and her husband, Michael; aunt and uncle Missy and Tim Williams; cousins Bret, Zakk and Hannah Williams; her mother- and father-in-law Barbara and Jeff Clement; brother-in-law John Clement and his daughter, Sofie; brother-in-law Timothy Clement; sister-in-law Sarah Clement; and many other loving family members and close friends.

Alexa was born in Rutland, Vt., and grew up in Sudbury and Underhill, Vt., attending Sudbury Country School, Browns River Middle School and graduating from Mount Mansfield Union High School. After graduation, she moved to Johnson City, Tenn., to attend East Tennessee State University.

Alexa excelled at everything she did and was particularly gifted in math. We had many a road trip with flash cards to keep her entertained.

Alexa and James were married on July 10, 2013. On January 15, 2015, she gave birth to the joy of her life, her son Ethan. She loved being a mother and, in many ways, excelled at being a mother more than anything else.

Alexa was incredibly empathetic and sought to befriend people who were in need of friendship and companionship. With remarkably large eyes and a big, beautiful smile, Alexa warmed up every room she was in. Due to her sharp sense of humor and her kind and generous heart, everyone who met Alexa felt an immediate and close connection.

Alexa was known for doing everything spectacularly — whether that was school, high school basketball or motherhood. Unfortunately, she was prescribed her first opioid prescription as a teenager, before the true extent and addictive nature of the substance was known. Those early prescriptions altered her life permanently. She regretted her addiction and the impact it had on those she loved. She did not fail in her recovery but fought valiantly and was ultimately failed by a poorly coordinated system of care that could not sufficiently treat her.

Alexa was baptized in the name of the Lord in 2018, and her faith was an inspiration to those around her.

If there is a lesson Alexa would want her friends and family to take away from her tragic passing, it would be to stay close to those you love and live life to its fullest.

A celebration of her life will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2019, at First Christian Church, 200 East Mountcastle Dr., Johnson City, TN 37601.

A second celebration of Alexa’s life will be held in South Burlington, Vt., from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 10, 2019, at the Windjammer Restaurant Garden Room.

In the spirit of Alexa’s memory, a donation page has been set up for her son Ethan’s future needs, and the page can be accessed at https://www.gofundme.com/f/4tk7m-for-ethan