Barbara Steele Williams, 80; Orange County Philanthropist

Barbara Steele Williams, a philanthropist who donated millions of dollars to Orange County arts and social organizations, died Sunday of heart failure at her home in Three Arch Bay. She was 80.

The daughter of businessman Harry Steele and his wife, Grace, whose children established a philanthropic foundation in their parents’ name 42 years ago, Mrs. Williams aided many of this city’s most prominent cultural institutions, including the Laguna Art Museum and the privately funded Laguna Playhouse’s Moulton Theater.

In 1973, she married Nick B. Williams, editor of The Times from 1958 to 1971. He died in 1992.

With foundation and personal funds, Mrs. Williams provided aid to a number of Orange County organizations, among them a recent $1-million grant to the Laguna Art Museum.

The foundation also gave grants totaling about $6 million to the Orange County Performing Arts Center and $1.1 million to the Newport Harbor Art Museum in recent years.

Before moving to Laguna Beach, Mrs. Williams lived for more than 30 years in Pasadena.

She is survived by two daughters, Susan Busby Bartlett of South Laguna and Barbara Cecilia Busby of Dana Point; son James Steele Busby of Newport Beach; a sister, Audrey Burnand of Newport Beach; brother Richard Steele of Newport Beach; 11 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Plans for a memorial service are pending.