William David Williams, born August 30, 1921, and died on February 25, 2013 after a prolonged illness.
Born to Frederick Albert and Inez Peterson Williams in Tulsa, Ok., David grew up in Ferguson, Mo., then moved with his family to Lakeland, Fla. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and served four years, during which time he was selected for the V12 program and sent to officer’s training school at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
After honorable discharge from the Navy, David completed his bachelor’s degree in naval science and then received a master’s degree in Christian Education at Emory University in Atlanta. David worked for the YMCA in Virginia and North Carolina for 10 years, then relocated to Chattanooga, where he became a teacher at Brainerd High School in physics, chemistry, biology, and natural science for many years.
He was an active member of Brainerd United Methodist Church while in Chattanooga and was heavily involved in mission work, including 13 trips to the Choctaw Mission in Philadelphia, Ms. After retirement from the Chattanooga/Hamilton County Public School System, he eventually relocated to Moscow, Tn., for the last 12 years of his life, and he became a member of Collierville United Methodist Church.
David is survived by his wife of 62 years, Emily Ann Reid Williams; his three sons and their wives, William Reid and Anne Lasley Williams of Knoxville; James Warren and Regina Thompson Williams of Gaithersburg, Md.; and Frederick David and Denise Denny Williams of Moscow, Tn.; his sister, Ann Williams Stone of Wichita, Ks.; nine grandchildren James Edward (Marie) Williams, Warren Christopher Williams, Emily Kathryn (Zane) Seals, Andrew David Williams, Amy Hope Williams, Warren David Williams, Jonathan Reid Williams, Virginia Kate Williams, and Rebecca Lynn Williams; and one great-grandchild.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from noon until funeral services begin at 2 p.m., all at Collierville Funeral Home, 534 W. Poplar, Collierville, Tn. 38017.
Burial with graveside services will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 1, at Forest Hill Cemetery in Chattanooga.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts in memory of David be donated to the Collierville United Methodist Church, 454 West Poplar Avenue, Collierville, Tn. 38017.