Longtime Pasadena Unified School District Educator, Counselor Mourned

An online memorial service Thursday evening paid tribute to longtime Pasadena Unified School District teacher and counselor Shigeko “Koko” Williams, who died earlier this week, according to family and district officials. She was 76.

The circumstances of Williams’ death were not available Thursday.

Williams started her career with PUSD in 1973 as a teacher at Wilson Middle School. She also taught at Blair High School before becoming a counselor, working at Muir High School and Pasadena High School.

She is survived by three children and eight grandchildren, said her son David Williams.

“It’s hard to say goodbye to the person who loved you first and taught you how to love life,” Williams said in a letter. “Your love of the Sierras, hiking, fishing, pie, pets, Halloween, Christmas with the grandkids, turkey/broccoli casserole, Federico’s butter rolls, Haagen Dazs ice cream, Disney, decorations, antiquing, the flower market, one-armed bandits, spur of the moment road trips, Coos-Bay, clam digging, wild berry picking, fossil digging, crabbing, cooking portions too large for any event, singing along with abandon, and being hands down the most annoyingly insane (in a good way) person in the room were all your hallmarks. The way you could connect with people and do whatever it took to help a friend, colleague, and the student will live on forever in all the people you touched. I love you Mom/KoKo/Miss Koko/Pinche KiKi/KoKoLoco. Rest In Peace.”

Online communities including the John Muir High School Alumni Association were flooded with tributes and memories as word of Koko Williams’ death spread.

“A truly amazing woman with an inspiring legacy at PUSD,” wrote Alfredo Resendiz. “I LOVED her as my counselor at Muir and as a colleague in the district. She will be sorely missed.”

“What a treasure to all of us Mustangs. Beautiful, brilliant woman…Rest in Heaven Ms. Koko,” wrote Kimberly Ashley-Robinson.

“She was such a gift to me,” posted Jennifer Pulled. “She was such a self-sacrificing and motivational counselor who truly believed in all of us!”

Rob Sarlo shared how Williams had impacted his life.

“Koko was more than just a counselor, she was a believer,” he wrote. “At that point in my young life I had had many obstacles and family situations that would have led most people to head straight down the wrong paths. But Koko was literally the 1st Adult in my life at that time that told me she believed in me.

“Koko would not let me give up,” he continued. “Her belief in me and gentle pushing helped me develop a life skill I have relied on many times throughout my life: Never Give up, and it’s never as bad as it may seem in the moment.”

No formal in-person service had been scheduled due to the pandemic, David Williams said.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to the Sierra Club.