Arthur Charles Williams

Art was born in 1926 to Silas Ezra Williams and Alberta Ida Peasgood Williams in Madera, California. He spent much of his childhood in Burbank where Si, his father, worked at Lockheed as an aircraft mechanic.

At the age of 17, Art joined the Navy and fought in the Pacific Theater during WWII including the Bougainville Campaign in New Guinea and in the Battle of Guam. After his discharge, in February of 1946, he returned to Burbank California. While there, he worked as a mechanic. On weekends he would build and race hot rods, he won many trophies too. He also became an excellent water-skier with the Burbank Waterski Club. Where he met his daughter's mother Jean.

In 1956, Art moved to Fresno to help his father (who lived in Bass Lake) and brother with an auto repair shop they owned in Oakhurst. He decided to settle in the area because it had many great waterskiing lakes close by.

Then, in 1957, he opened his own auto shop in Fresno: Cal-State Muffler at Blackstone and Olive (which later became the Cal-State Auto Center). Art married Pamela Nadyne Traylor in 1971 and the two of them grew the Cal-State business to three highly successful shops in Fresno and Clovis that provided full-service repair and maintenance for cars and motorhomes. Due to his love of racing, his business sponsored many race cars throughout the years.

Every year for 25 years, Art and Pam would drive their motorhome to Cabo San Lucas, passing out school supplies and toothbrushes along the way. For many years they traveled all over the US in their motorhome. They also took many trips abroad.

Art was well known to be an incredibly fun, kind, and a generous man. He will be greatly missed.

Art is survived by his daughter Lori Gordines of Kauai, Hawaii and his two stepsons Lou Moench of Santa Monica, CA, and Paul Moench of Emeryville, CA as well as two grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

He is predeceased by his Father Silas “Si” Williams, Mother Bertha Peasgood “Bert” Williams, brother Stan Williams, and his sisters Norma Anderson and Mildred “Terry” Wallien.