Ted Williams, Sr.

IN MEMORY OF A LIFE WELL LIVED- TED WILLIAMS, SR.
On Monday, June 10, 2019, Ted Williams, Sr., or “Dr Ted” as he was known to hundreds of students and teachers left this earthly world too soon, while surrounded by his family.
Ted was born on August 8, 1935 in Six Mile, South Carolina. His twin brother unfortunately died at birth. He was the first son of Floride Alexander and Hovey E. Williams. He had 2 younger sisters (Delores and Janet) and one younger brother, (Hovey, Jr.) The family moved, and he lived in New Orleans until age 5. They lived various places throughout Louisiana and ended up in Alton, Missouri where Ted graduated from high school in 1953. Ted financially supported his family as a teenager by mowing yards, picking cotton with his brother and doing odd jobs when his father was ill for several years. Ted actually bought one of the earliest models of gas-powered mowers, he has always been industrious. Ted and his brother also learned to tan hides to make extra money as well. His siblings to this day talk of their amazing appreciation of what their brother did and endured for their family, they truly looked up to and loved their big brother and they talk with him with an amazing respect you seldom hear in this day and age.
In December of 1953, Ted joined the Marines during the Korean War and did Basic in California where he discovered not only how challenging Marine boot camp can be but in his spare time he discovered the miracle of hand tossed pizza for the first time in his life. Ted then spent 18 months as part of the 3rd Tank Battalion. The Battalion was stationed in Japan at Camp Fuji. We are blessed that he did not have to serve in Korea although he and his fellow marines were ready to and had expected and planned to serve in Korea at any time. Ted’s Battalion was notified they would be going to Korea but their deployment was deferred so he finished his tour in Japan, a country that he had really learned to appreciate.
Upon his return to the US, Ted attended Hannibal LaGrange University where he was introduced to the first love of his life, Joanne Christner, by his fellow student and younger brother, Hovey, Jr. Ted immediately fell in love with Joanne. They married in January of 1955. They moved to Waco, TX and attended Baylor University where Ted obtained a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. He and Joanne began Christian mission work with the local Spanish speaking community in Waco. Afterwards, they moved to Klickitat, Washington where Ted began to pastor, teach, work in the sawmill pulling green chain and somehow eventually build a church. Together, Ted and Joanne served in and planted churches throughout the Washington and Oregon area, as their hearts were burdened with sharing the good news of Christ with the people in the Northwest. They had 2 sons, Ted Williams, Jr and Jonathan Williams. Life was busy and full of Christian outreach, church planting and raising two unruly young boys who wanted nothing more than to be outside.
At age 40, Ted decided to switch careers which necessitated moving the family to the Iowa City area, so he could attend the University of Iowa (Go Hawkeyes!) and obtained his PhD in Educational Administration / Law in the late 70’s while teaching elementary school full time and instructing college classes part time. Ted became a High School Vice-Principal in Newton, Iowa. In 1980 an opportunity to return to the Pacific Northwest came up. The family moved to La Grande, OR where Ted took the position of Director of the Lab School at Eastern Oregon State University where he and Joanne both taught college education classes. During this time, he and Joanne taught teachers in the summers in Micronesia and shared their faith with the local people that they cared for so dearly. Ted and Joanne became very close to the Island student population at Eastern Oregon State. Ted also continued to serve churches as an interim pastor while working full time and raising a family. Ted and his family loved their life in the outdoors of Eastern Oregon, where he supported his sons interests in hunting, fishing and all other activities in the woods.
In 1983, Ted took a new position as Director of the Lab school at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Then Ted took another position in Granite District in 1985 so they moved down to the Salt Lake area where Ted began working as principal of Whittier Elementary and then later Magna Elementary, William Penn Elementary, and Lake Ridge Elementary This allowed him to be more directly involved with students and teachers which he thoroughly loved! Around 1990, a new opportunity arose for Ted to be the Superintendent of Schools in Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, so he and Joanne packed up and moved to the tropics. They spent five years on Kwajalein. Towards the end of his tenure, Joanne was diagnosed with cancer and Ted decided it was best to move back stateside where she could obtain the care she needed. Joanne fought a hard cancer battle, and sadly passed away in 1998.
Ted was blessed to have met Pam David and instantly fell in love with her. They had an immediate connection and in August of 1998 they were married. He continued working as a principal while Pam obtained her degree in nursing. He was incredibly proud of watching her accomplish this lifelong goal! They enjoyed 20 years together, traveling frequently to visit family and friends. Creating their own new adventure in life, he loved her beyond measure and together they were a formidable duo in a war of Cribbage with the grandkids! Ted felt no one could have been more fortunate than he to have found such an amazing partner in Pam. Together, they were the best grandparents! Ted knew how fortunate and blessed he was to have married this amazing lady.
Finally, in 2010 Ted “officially” retired from Granite District where he had worked for over 19 years. He continued to be actively engaged with his local church and community outreach. He taught Sunday school and was on the church board. He provided wisdom and insight to anyone who would lend an ear. He had a quick wit and a keen sense of humor. A remarkably smart man who always made people feel at ease in his presence and with an inviting lap in which to tell the grandkids stories, until they outgrew it (the lap that is, the stories never got old). Then he became mentor to them in their Christian walks and life lessons, and always found a way to get a scoop of ice cream.
He enjoyed custom leather work and became quite proficient at it in retirement. Ted loved fishing and being in the outdoors with friends, his sons and stepsons and their families. He was constantly learning and never ceasing to see the new adventures ahead. He worked in his garden, loved his flowers, and grew delicious vegetables. But most of all, he always loved people, connecting with them, encouraging them, and sharing his walk with Jesus to all.
He was this and so much, much more! How do you boil down his life of 83 ½ years into a few paragraphs, its simply an impossible task! So, if you were lucky enough to know Dr. Ted Williams, Ted Sr., Ted, Dad, Sweetheart, Grandpa, Friend, Mentor, Pastor then you indeed are very fortunate and are better because of him. While we are deeply saddened at his passing, we take comfort in knowing that he sits with Jesus.
THE Ted Williams- Conclusion Of The Life Of A Mighty Pine.
You know when you hike through the forest, way off the beaten path, and you come across that one amazing, old, mighty Pine. That giant of a tree that’s truly seen some history and grown stronger and longer than any other tree in the woods. That tree that’s lived through lightning strikes, and beatle infestations, and even has marks of forest fires licking its trunk and burning its lower branches, surviving what only that splendid mass of a tree could endure because it was so big and so strong. While other trees were uprooted, cut down, or died that one beautiful tree, that amazing natural design by our creator demonstrated how strong, tall, and powerful one tree can be.
That was THE Ted Williams to us. He was that tree. You could just sit and lean against that strong mighty Pine, he would hold you. It’s the kind of tree that when you get lost you build your shelter on because that Pine literally has your back because its so big, and it protects you. It’s that tree that shades the meadow on a hot day and deer and elk lay near to shade them and buffer them from the heat, or the wind or rain. That pine is that tree that shelters all who come. That tree with such a bounty of pine cones that the squirrels can eat their fill and still leave enough seed to re-sow the earth.
That tree was THE Ted Williams we all knew and loved. He was that tree that protected us, sheltered us, endured the storms, the floods, the fires for us. That Pine preserved us and preserved and shaded the meadows of our lives. Ted’s life was like the branches of that tree stretching far above the canopy where God could see him and see what a good thing his servant had done with all that God had invested in him. That tree of a man stood for all who came to him. Ted made that cool shade in life, like the place where you lay in tall green grass in that meadow and feel the seeds of the weeds tickle your skin. Ted gave you not just comfort but he made you feel good about yourself, about others, about life, and about eternal life.
The next time you see that tree in the woods, stop, lay down and look up at those amazing arms of branches and remember. Remember THE Ted Williams, the man who was that faithful servant of God who invested his Talents wisely and God blessed and he grew strong. That tall Pine protected Gods creation, and he gave comfort to all. Just lay there and watch the wind in his branches, watch the squirrels gorge themselves on the abundance of his pinecones, see where the animals have laid and rested and restored at his mighty trunk. Restore yourself there. Remember Ted there. This is where he belongs forever, this is where we all want to be forever once we are there. Lay there, enjoy, remember, be sad, be happy and re-new. Rejoice in the fact that we knew that mighty man, that mighty pine and we be graced by the mighty span of his love again, we will.
Service Information

Memorial Service
June 29, 2019 at 2:00 PM
3350 West 4400 South, West Valley City, Utah