David Oscar Williams Jr.

Born in North Tazewell, Virginia, he was the son of David Oscar Williams and Alleta Margaret Rowling and grew up there with sisters Alleta Margaret, Virginia Carrine, and Minnie Jane (all deceased) and brothers Daniel Huston (deceased) and George Warren of Charlottesville, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his cherished wife of 62 years, Marie Comley Williams. He is survived by their four children: Suzanne W. Housman (Jim), David O. Williams III (Marie), Sarah W. Allendorf, and Daniel L. Williams. Also surviving are seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews, who all knew him as “Boom-Boom.”

David graduated from University of Richmond in 1950 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting. He then served the country for two years in the US Army. Following his honorable discharge from military service, he enrolled in the Marshall-Wythe School of Law of the College of William and Mary. He earned two law degrees from the College, and was the first person to receive the school’s Master of Law and Taxation degree. Upon graduation David joined the Chief Counsel’s Office of the Internal Revenue Service and worked there for 10 years. He was then invited to join the Bethlehem Steel Corporation’s Tax and Law Department in 1965, so the family moved to Pennsylvania but then returned to Arlington in 1974 when David became Bethlehem’s Tax Counsel based in Washington, DC. After electing early retirement in 1983 from Bethlehem Steel, David joined the Washington-based Tax Foundation. From July 1984 to July 1985, David held the position of Legislative Assistant for Business and Taxation in the office of Senator Dave Durenberger (R-MN). From July 1985 through retirement, David was Director – Federal Relations, BellSouth Corporation.

In addition to reading biographies of great leaders and American history as well as enjoying sports, David enjoyed conversations about current events, sports and bragging about his children and grandchildren. He could be counted on to share a fine cigar and a laugh in his garage “office.” He took great pride in his hometown of North Tazewell, and his competitive spirit occasionally led to round-about trips through the countryside so that he would win the challenge of predicting the precise arrival time at his parents’ home in North Tazewell.

Memorial information is available through Murphy Funeral Home, 4510 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia. Family and friends are encouraged to share their remembrances at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/arlington-va/david-williams-8945008. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Cancer Society and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. There will be a private burial at Quantico National Cemetery.