W.H. "Bill" Williams, Sr., 87, died Monday, October 21, 2024.

Bill was born in Leesburg, FL and moved to Pensacola as a child where he lived most of his life. He was raised in a Christian family and held onto those beliefs strongly throughout his life.

Bill led an interesting and multi-faceted life and career. Locally, he was the President of a family-owned business, Dixie Grading & Paving, and later the founder and owner of Oak Lawn Funeral Home. He was a board member of the Santa Rosa Island Authority and had a life-long interest in politics. In his earlier years, he was involved with political campaigns such as Reubin Askew for Governor and later led the Northwest Florida campaign efforts to elect Bob Graham as Governor. After Graham's first inauguration, Bill moved to Tallahassee to join the Governor's staff. Later he accepted several appointments including Chairman of the Career Service Commission and Chairman of the Florida Water Management Board. He continued working with Governor Graham for 8 years in Tallahassee and was involved in his election for US Senate. Bill was also a lobbyist for The Southern Company/Gulf Power for a period of time.

He had an active imagination and was always thinking of ways to create a better "mouse trap" in just about every facet of life. He always carried a small spiral notebook and pin in his shirt pocket that he would use to write down ideas or share them with you over lunch. He held multiple patents and was the author of 4 published books. One of the books he authored included stories about Elvis Presley's first guitar, which Bill inherited from his brother Ronnie.

Some of Bill's favorite things were watching the storms roll in from the gulf from his condo on Pensacola Beach, traveling across the blue highways of the country meeting new people and selling the books he had written, stopping at roadside stands for whatever fresh fruit was in season and discussing politics and the news. Bill was an animated storyteller and had much to say if you had the time to sit and talk.

Bill is preceded in death by his mother, Myrtle; his father, Malcolm; his brother, Ronnie; his sister, Sandy; as well as his daughter, Ashley Williams Thompson.

Survivors include 3 sons, Bill Williams, Jr. (Linda), David T. Williams, and Malcolm S. Williams; 17 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held 11:00am Thursday, October 24, 2024, at Bayview Memorial Park, 3351 Scenic Hwy, Pensacola, FL 32503.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society to honor Bill's mother and daughter.