It gives us great sorrow to announce that Carl Earl Williams, 89, passed away peacefully in the early hours of Christmas Eve Day, 2021. He was surrounded in love by his children and eldest grandchildren in the days preceding, and Brian was holding his hand when he went up to be with his precious Margaret Jo in God's heaven. His oldest sister had passed away just two weeks earlier, and we think he somehow felt it was time to go join all the relatives and friends who had gone on before, especially his beloved bride. Words cannot express how much we miss him, but now he is free of that broken body so he can foxtrot, tango and waltz with his sweetheart again.

He was an exceedingly special man - a renaissance man - as a friend recently described him; and perhaps that is why he is so difficult to describe to one who did not know him. He was the embodiment of everything a young boy from humble beginnings could become in America. And all on his own. The opportunities were endless, so it never occurred to him to pursue his life any other way.

Carl was born in Aurora, MO on January 10, 1932, during the Great Depression, the youngest child of Cyril and Vada Williams. He grew up dawdling behind his two sisters, teaching his dog new tricks, balancing on barrels, milking the cow, and helping out around the house. He endured being dressed up like a doll and eagerly learned how to twirl the baton just because he had older sisters, and that came with the territory. Around 1943, young Carl almost perished from osteomyelitis, and was one of the first civilian recipients of penicillin when his dad was given special permission to pick up a course of the new drug at the nearby military base.

By the time he reached high school, he was playing the snare drum in the band and in awe of Harvey Phillips, an upperclassman who went on to change the trajectory of the tuba in America. His appreciation for the Arts was born early. His oldest sister, Jean, and her husband were enthusiastic jazz fans, so music piqued his interest from the start. Those early experiences merged into the fantastic recipe that became Carl Williams. If he read about it, or heard about it, he set out to experience it; college, the arts, nature's beauties, sports, science, and everything in between. He was fascinated by both the scientific and the spiritual, the theatrical and the theoretical, the academic and the athlete...

After high school, he was off to see the world! He sold his cow so he could start college at San Jose State, then, after obtaining his Bachelors, he worked and studied all across the country; from Yosemite to New York, and back again. As fate would have it, he met a dynamic speech pathologist named Margaret Jo during an ASHA conference in Miami; and it was kismet. The babies of both their families, the tale of their lives together spans almost five decades. The stories are too numerous to include here, but most of you know them already. They married in 1963, and had three children in three different states, wherever his (and her) work took them. They finally landed in Pensacola where they raised their family and spent the rest of their lives. If you knew Carl, you loved Carl. Well-versed in every subject, and able to make anyone feel important and valuable. He and Jo shared an immense pride for their children and oh, the grandchildren… Jo had a saying, "Each crow thinks hers is the blackest!" and this was certainly true of how Carl felt about his grandchildren. Brian, Celena, Olivia, Erik, Conley and David each held a unique place in his heart. He couldn't have been more proud of each grandchild's distinctive accomplishments, and he nurtured every one of them in an individual way that was incredible to witness. His love for these six precious souls knew no bounds.

He is preceded in death by the love of his life, Margaret Jo of Pensacola, FL; his cherished parents, Cyril and Vada Williams of Aurora, MO; and his beloved sister, Elma Jean Cafarelli of Syracuse, NY.

Survivors include his dear sister, Bettie Lou Stout from Roseburg, OR; daughter, Langley Williams (David Nicholson) of Pensacola, FL; son, Alan Williams (Annica) of Fleming Island, FL; son, Colin Williams (Meredith) of Westminster, CO; six grandchildren, Brian Casey Anderson and Celena Taylor Anderson of Pensacola, FL, Erik Calders Williams and David Carl Williams of Fleming Island, FL, Margaret Olivia Williams and Conley Eckhout Williams of Westminster, CO; two nieces (Denise, Cheryl) and four nephews (Art, Robbie, Carl, Mark).

When you're a brilliant acoustical scientist who can recite the lyrics to any Broadway showtune, check (and understand) the stats for his beloved Cardinals in the paper, recognize an aria from Carmen, and also know what a "three-pointer" is, you MUST be Carl Williams! We will miss you!

A celebration of life service will be held (TBD) Saturday, May 14, 2022, at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, please support the First Presbyterian Church Music Ministry (33 East Gregory St, Pensacola, FL 32502), or make a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research www.michaeljfox.org/donate .