Deborah Annette Williams, an agent in the Department of Parole and Probation, died June 20 at Laurel Regional Hospital of heart failure. She was 62 and lived in Laurel.

During her 23 years with the state agency, Mrs. Williams worked in the fields of domestic violence and alternative sentencing. Most recently, she was in the Gaithersburg field office. In the 1970s, she worked at the Legal Aid Bureau in downtown Baltimore.

"She got her offenders to comply with the rules because of her ability to work so well with them," said Gene Farmer, a field supervisor in the Gaithersburg office.

Born in Baltimore and raised on Royce Avenue, Deborah Annette Thompson was a graduate of Carver Vocational Technical High School.

She earned an associate of arts degree at the Community College of Baltimore and went on to earn a bachelor of arts degree in social work from Antioch College in 1976. She also had a master's degree in criminal justice from Coppin State College and took courses toward her doctorate at Howard and Temple universities.

Mrs. Williams was a world traveler. She also enjoyed cooking soul-food dinners.

A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Bernardine Roman Catholic Church, 3800 Edmondson Ave., where she was a member.

She is survived by Paul Williams, her husband of 31 years; two sons, Jerome Williams of Baltimore and John Williams of Laurel; a daughter, Valerie Williams of Laurel; a sister, Sharon Green of Baltimore; and five grandchildren.