William Horace Williams

MADISON-Bill Williams died April 27, 2016 at Agrace Hospice Care. He was born to Waldine L. andConstance (Fennell) Williams in Kansas City, Kansas, during the time of the Republican convention inKansas City. The family lived in a house built in the early 1900's by his maternal grandmother, AnnaFennell. Bill graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1946.In July 1946 he enlisted in the U. S. Army and served through December 1947. His father diedjust weeks before he sailed overseas and his brother Jim was married as he was en- route. His final twelvemonths were spent in the then-little-known country of Korea in the WWII Army of Occupation. Sixmonths each were spent with Battery B, 6th Division Artillery and the Corps of Engineers-Supply andOpen Storage. He was honorably discharged in Camp Lawton, Fort Lewis, Washington.Bill attended Kansas City University, then Kansas University where he joined Phi DeltaFraternity. He graduated from Denver University in Denver, Colorado, reached his 25th birthdayanniversary and married Nancy Greenwood – all in the month of June 1953.He worked for two years at the Hotel Yancey, Grand Island, Nebraska; eight years at KansasUniversity as the Kansas Union's banquet manager; six years at the University of Nebraska Union asFood Service Director; and 24 years at the Memorial Union-Madison, as Food Service Director. Heretired in July1994 at the age of 66.The eight years spent in Lawrence, Kansas, were some of Bill's favorites. He and Nancy livedclose to their families in Topeka and Kansas City. Visits "home" were often and about an hour's drive.Bill also enjoyed fishing and small game hunting with daughter Connie and his friends in Lawrence, andlater with his two sons in Wisconsin..The family moved to Madison in 1970 when Bill assumed his position as Food Service Director atMemorial Union on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. This involved managing the foodservice for Memorial, Union South, Frederick Center and the Wisconsin Center (now the Pyle Center),Lowell Hall and the School of Business.Bill began riding a bicycle in Madison in 1974 to and from work and rode 9 miles daily, tenmonths a year for 20 years. "And that was very likely a 'good thing'".When Bill retired in 1994, he assumed volunteer duties with the West Madison Senior Center andCoalition. He was also active as an usher, altar server and lector at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church at theSunday morning early service. He was a member of the church men's reading group and loved to readnewspapers, magazines and books, both non-fiction and fiction. He volunteered as a pastoral visitor atMeriter Hospital for his church.Bill joined the weekly Senior Center Reminiscence Writing class and loved every minute asmembers shared their memories of days gone by. He consolidated his memories into a book, "ClevelandAvenue and Beyond" in 2004.Bill and Nancy enjoyed a couples' senior golf league, then dining out after play at many ofMadison's quality restaurants. They enjoyed their home life, as well, especially entertaining friends. Hewas an excellent cook and enjoyed cooking throughout his life.Bill often declared, "I'm a lucky guy."He was predeceased by his parents, Waldine and Constance (Fennell) Williams and his brother,James L. Williams, and his son Christopher G. Williams. He is survived by his children , Constance L.Williams(Christopher Gruener) of Newton, MA, . and James D. Williams of Madison; and his specialgrandson, Gregory Gruener of Newton, MA; also a niece, Lynnsay (Philip) Jones and nephew DavidWilliams (Karen) of Kansas City, KS.. A memorial service will be held at St. Dunstan's on Sunday, May1, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. with visitation at 2:00. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.