Nikki Elizabeth Williams Vogt, daughter, sister, friend, and artist extraordinaire, passed away Monday, June 3, 2024, in Lynchburg, VA, after a long struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. Nikki was born in Lynchburg, VA on January 9, 1966, the first child of Royall “Wayne” Williams and the late Robin “Bobby” Ette Yvonne Saunders Williams. She graduated from E.C. Glass High School in 1984; she went on to further her education at Central Virginia Community College, where she graduated in 1987 with an associate degree in advertising design. In the late 80s, Nikki worked alongside her childhood best friend and fellow artist, Anne Marshall, at Clifton Studio designing and painting production art for hotels and furniture companies. In the 90s, they both went to work at Lynchburg-Stained Glass, creating mostly liturgical windows for churches. To further hone her craft, Nikki attended a summer program at the Atrium School of Stained Glass in New Hampshire under the tutelage of renowned master stained-glass artist Richard Millard. It was Millard who recommended Nikki to the prestigious Rambusch Company in New York City when they were searching for a substitute artist. Initially she declined but eventually accepted, joining Rambusch in 1998. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Nikki returned home as a free-lance artist, and eventually rejoined Lynchburg-Stained Glass where she worked until her retirement in 2017. During her illustrious career, Nikki designed 3 windows for Marble Collegiate Church in New York City (2 in the sanctuary and 1 above the main entrance door facing 5th Avenue), 79 windows in Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Atlanta, GA., as well as windows in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Phoenix, AZ., Green Bay, WI., Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C., the oculus for the domed ceiling in the New York State Appellate Court in Manhattan and many other projects in the U.S. In addition to her mother, Nikki was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Perry Garvin and Gladys Nance Saunders; her paternal grandparents, Royall Edward and Cordelia Gilliam Williams; and numerous aunts, uncles, and other extended family. Nikki is survived by her father, her sister Cordelia Gravely Williams, her brother Edward Garvin Williams (Carrie), nephew Perry Alexander Williams, niece Adeline Victoria Williams, aunt Linda Williams Hall, all of Lynchburg, VA., uncle Donald M. Williams (Sharon) of Virginia Beach, VA., aunt Jill “Snoogie” Saunders Henderson of Birmingham, Alabama, aunt Helen Margaret “Peg” Saunders Mayhew of Gretna, VA., aunt Patricia “Pat” Dawn Saunders Tyree of Danville, VA., many beloved cousins, lifelong best friend Anne Marshall, dear friend Kathy Rose, her beloved cat “Barnabas”, cockatiel “Moses,” and a host of other family and friends. Nikki Liz was a force to be reckoned with. Thanks to her work in stained glass, she has left countless contributions in places of worship throughout the world for future generations to admire and appreciate. A memorial service will be conducted Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 2 p.m. at The Well Church, which meets at Lynchburg Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 19 George St, Lynchburg, VA. 24502, with Pastor Tom Bryant officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the fellowship hall. Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider the two organizations that helped Barnabas, and continue to help many other pets, Central Virginia Regional Rescue (cvrrescue.org), P.O. Box 2172 Forest, VA 24551, or Friends of Campbell County Animal Control (friendsofcampbellcounty.org), 185 Greendale Dr., Rustburg, VA 24588. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360
