K F. Williams (9-17-18)

(3-4-1952 to 9-17-2018)

K Frances Williams died on Monday, Sept. 17, after a brief illness.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Elvin and Charlyne Williams.

She is survived by her husband, Douglas R. Vaughn; two stepchildren, Claire (Mark) and Dylan (Andrea); two sisters, Beth Williams Douglas (John), Susan Williams Clarke (Jerry); a brother, Herbert Williams (Amber); brothers-in-law, David Vaughn (Sarah), Charles Vaughn, Joe Vaughn (Jeanne), Dickie Vaughn (Carolyn), Paul Vaughn (Jenny), Tony Vaughn (Pam); and sister-in-law, Laura Lee Nadell (Dave). K’s nieces and nephews include, Michael Douglas (Lorelei), Emily Clarke Dunbar (Dustin), Jonathan Douglas (Annyetta), Sarah Williams Kolb (Brian), Joseph Williams (Megan), Joshua Clarke (Courtney), Evan Williams (Danielle), Jenny Mercer (Ben), Steven Vaughn, Aaron Vaughn (Renee), David Vaughn, Ann-Marie Grasanti (Nick), Elaine Hall (Wes), Christopher Nadell, Matthew Nadell, Sarah Rose Nadell, Jack Vaughn. K is also blessed with many grand-nieces and nephews, as well as a wide collection of friends from across the nation.

K was born in Savannah, has an undergraduate degree in technical theatre from the University of Florida, and an MFA in lighting design from Indiana University. K’s professional life was wide ranging: beginning as a high school theatre teacher and lighting designer, becoming the production manager for the Indianapolis Opera, and later taking the helm as the executive producer of Indianapolis’s Starlight Musicals. Later, she established a thriving theatrical consultancy business, SiG productions, through which she took on exciting projects as varied as theatrical architectural consulting, producing nationally and internationally recognized arts programming, international tours and groundbreaking new operas and musicals. Reinventing herself once again, K moved into full- time university administration, as dean of the College of Performing Arts at University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

K’s personal life was colorful as well as artful. She married the love of her life, Doug Vaughn, on New Year’s Eve, 1982. They had lovely homes in several cities, filled with art and books, from which they entertained and created friendships with people from a variety of fields. They also loved to travel, and K particularly enjoyed exposing her nieces and nephews to new experiences and parts of the world.

K and Doug returned to Indianapolis in July, 2018, intending to make it their retirement home. She was enjoying reconnecting with many friends and arts institutions when her illness struck.

K was a member of Class XVI of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Program. Memorial contributions in the name of K F. Williams may be made to Leadership Indianapolis, the home of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series, at: Leadership Indianapolis, c/o CICF, 615 N. Alabama, #119, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.

The family requests that memorial contributions also be made to East End United Methodist Church, The Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center and/or the American Cancer Society.