Howard Elliott Williams, Sr. Obituary (1916 - 2017)

Howard Williams was resident of Wickenburg, since 2010. He and his wife, Virginia, lived in Westpark for the past several years. He was 2 weeks shy of turning 101 when he passed away June 21, 2017. Howard was born in Santa Ana, California on July 9, 1916 to Ralph and Lorena Williams and grew up in Laguna Beach and Santa Ana area. Howard met the love of his life, Virginia, in a Sunday School class at the McCarthy Memorial Christian Church and married on June 1, 1939. They lived in Los Angeles County and Orange County where they raised their children. He worked as a machinist at the naval shipyard during World War II and them owned his own electric motor repair shop in Santa Ana for several years. He finally closed the shop and began working as an electrician for the County of Orange and later became an electrical inspector for the county. He was a master of the Silver Cord Masonic Lodge #505 in Santa Ana and then joined the York Rite Shrine. Howard loved to skeet shoot and golf and did both for many years as well as going to the gym regularly to work out. He retired in 1975 and he and Virginia moved to Santa Maria, California. They traveled the world, taking numerous cruises and have visited all continents other than the Arctic and Antarctic. He volunteered as a teacher of remedial math and reading as well as Genspan and at the Santa Maria Library, where he learned to repair book bindings. In Wickenburg, they lived in Westpark mobile home park where they were involved in many activities at the library and as a remedial math tutor. One of Howard's favorite events was the monthly ice cream social where he was known for his love of ice cream. Howard is survived by his wife of 78 years, Virginia, his children Elliott Williams of Wickenburg and his wife Terry; Elaine Pine of San Diego, California; Donna Vickers of Carlsbad, California and Lori Williams of Gig Harbor, Washington as well as seven grandchildren, three great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and one great-great-grandchild on the way. Howard and Virginia attended the The Place church in Wickenburg. An Ice cream social memorial is being planned for October in Westpark.