William Daniel Williams

William Daniel Williams was born August 9th, 1937 in Spring Glen, Carbon County, Utah, to Annie Ellen Williams. He passed away on December 9, 2024. Annie later married Max Duran. William called Max his dad since he was the one who raised him. William was one of six children. His older siblings (Fern, Jim, and Ira) have passed, while his younger brother, Mike Moore, and his younger sister, Annie (Cita) Anderson continue on.

He grew up extremely poor and felt he was an outcast throughout his childhood. This was a wound that he carried throughout his life. This, no doubt, helped mold an extremely strong-willed man, filled with grit and determination, who was a consistent defender of the poor, the orphaned, and the downtrodden.

He served in the United States Air Force’s Strategic Air Command for four years as Air Police during the end of the Korean Conflict. There, he was called “Sheriff” by his friends. While stationed in San Antonio he met Johnny Cash. While hanging out backstage at a concert, Johnny told William he wanted to introduce him to someone getting started on the tour. The man was extremely nervous, sweating profusely, and suffering from intense stage fright. Johnny stepped across the room and said Elvis, I’d like you to meet William Williams. William shook the shaking and sweaty hand moments before Elvis stepped onto the stage, in San Antonio, TX. (This, combined with the fact that he turned down an opportunity to work as an extra for John Wayne makes me pretty sure that he qualifies as Redneck Royalty).

Shortly after leaving the military, he moved to Colorado, stating that he intended to give his heart to the Lord and marry a good woman. He did just that. He moved to Naturita, Colorado, gave his heart to the Lord at the Naturita Pentecostal Church of God, and then on February 27th, 1959, he married Bernice Eileen Gripe. Earlier this year, they celebrated 65 wonderful years together.

William is survived by his wife Bernice and four of his five children; Bernice Barnard (married to Robert Barnard), Sharon Williams (who passed very shortly after her birth), Daniel Williams (married to Karla Williams), Travis Williams, and Iris Crawford (married to Jamie Crawford). He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 19 Great-Grandchildren, 4 Great-Great-Grandchildren (not including 2 more on the way), and many, many more who were adopted into this family.

He was known as Brother Williams, William, WD, Bill, Willy, Sheriff, Dad, Papa, Uncle Willy, Pappa Willy, and Grandpa.

Although he was a cowboy, a uranium miner, an owner of a construction company, an avid fisherman, and a hunter, he would want to be remembered for his greatest desire. His greatest desire was that he would be a blessing and that everyone would make heaven their home by truly repenting of their sins, accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, honoring God, and loving God with all their soul, mind, and strength. His final words were of encouragement and stressing his desire to see his grandchildren, and everyone he knew, in heaven. He said he would soon be joining the great crowd in heaven. This is where he waits for us now.