Ronald “Ron” Weldon Williams
Ronald “Ron” Weldon Williams, 73, of Red Bank, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 19, 2025.
Ron was a dedicated educator and spent much of his career working with special education students as a teacher, a principal, and eventually retired from a position at the Central Office in the Hamilton County School System.
The love of music surrounded every day of his life. In 1974, while teaching Social Studies at the Pine Breeze Center, he and his students began a field research project in traditional music. He couldn’t just teach what was in a textbook, he had to share live music with his students. Alongside his students, he recorded numerous albums of traditional East Tennessee music, capturing voices and stories that might otherwise have been lost. On the way home from our honeymoon in 1975, we stopped at MTSU for a workshop in preserving local music led by Dr. Charles Wolfe. We couldn’t even get married without music sneaking in.
Most of all, he loved his family. He was so proud of our boys and who they had grown up to be. He shared the current status of each one with everyone he met. He loved our family dogs, cats, and Prissy the pig.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Trafton and Thressa Williams, and by his favorite of all fur babies, Benny the cat, who lived a remarkable 24 years.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Sandra Williams; his sons, Joshua (Mallory) Williams, Jacob (Shannon) Williams, and Jesse (Whitney) Williams; grandchildren, Kaia, Savannah, Knox, Charlotte, Susan, Parker, Talia, and Jaidynn; and two great-grandchildren. Ron’s warmth, wit, and love for family and tradition will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Educational Society, 4155 Randolph Circle, Chattanooga, Tn. 37406—a cause close to Ron’s heart.
Arrangements entrusted to Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415, 423877-3524, lanefh.com.