By Kip Hill kiph@spokesman.com(509) 459-5429

Community leaders, local politicians and aid organizations in Spokane mourned on Tuesday the death of Sandy Williams, a storyteller and community advocate who was aboard a plane that crashed Sunday in the Puget Sound.

Visitors began leaving flowers early Tuesday morning at the Carl Maxey Center in the East Central Neighborhood, the community center Williams raised money to build, said Spokane City Councilwoman Betsy Wilkerson.

“It was just organic,” said Wilkerson , who is also board president at the center “We arrived this morning, and flowers were just in front of the door.”

By the afternoon, the assembled flowers had filled two tables.

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“A strong beautiful person (and) leader of the Black community,” Washington Commerce Director Lisa Brown wrote on Twitter. “(Commerce) is honored to have supported projects she envisioned.”

Gov. Jay Inslee expressed condolences to the families of all 10 victims of the crash, which occurred just after 3 p.m. Sunday near Mutiny Bay on Whidbey Island’s western coast. The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday morning released the names of all passengers presumed dead in the crash, among them Williams and her partner, Patricia Hicks.

“Sandy gave so much to Washington and particularly the Spokane community,” Inslee said in a statement. “We join them in mourning this loss.”

Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward said Tuesday that Williams, who founded and published the Black Lens newspaper, “poured her heart and soul into the toughest of conversations.”

“When Sandy spoke, people listened, because she took the time to listen first,” Woodward said in a video statement.

Woodward on Tuesday directed that all flags at city facilities fly at half-staff in honor of Williams until sunset Friday, encouraging businesses and residents to do the same.