Ed Williams

Roger Edward Williams Jr. (Ed), age 69, of Birmingham, passed peacefully from this life to his heavenly home on Monday, January 9, 2023, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. We will miss his smile and laugh, his singing & harmonies, his flower gardens and bird feeders galore, his rolly polly bug hunts, his spaghetti and meatballs, his hugs, and the ways he made you feel safe & secure. He was the calm to any chaos or life storms. His life was marked by his constant love & support to others.

Ed was born on March 12, 1953 in Natchez, Mississippi to Rev. Roger E. Williams and mother Andree Benoist Williams. As a son of a Presbyterian minister, he also grew up living in St. Joseph, MO as well as Tuscaloosa before attending The University of Alabama. There he received his degree in accounting and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. He met Becky on the 3rd day of classes of their sophomore year at The University of AL walking across the quad. They were married for 47 years and loved traveling together, one of their biggest blessings before his diagnosis. Ed spent time after graduation working for Waterman Steamship Corporation followed by Autry Greer & Sons Inc. both in Mobile. He also spent some years working at Benoist Brothers Clothing Store, which was started by his great grandfather and was carried on by his uncle, Jack Benoist, in Natchez, MS. After moving to Birmingham, he had a long career in accounting as a CPA & partner in Boohaker Schillaci and Company, later merged with Carr, Riggs & Ingram. 

Ed was a member at Trinity United Methodist Church where he served as an usher for many years. He also volunteered & served in many leadership roles supporting Homewood City Schools PTO throughout the years. He was a proud coach for many girls Homewood community little league games, and was always his daughter’s & grandchildren’s biggest cheerleader. Ed was the epitome of a loving & devoted husband, father and grandfather, (affectionately known as “Poppy” to his cherished grandchildren, Mallie & Grant Murray) as well as a wonderful son, brother, colleague and friend. Ed was known for his loyalty & dedication to the things he loved most; his family, his work, & caring for others. You could always count on Ed. He lived for Alabama football, being outdoors, and spending time in the yard and garden. He also cherished time spent at the beach, Point Clear of Mobile Bay and the mountains of Highlands, NC. He deeply loved his wife, daughter and grandchildren, never missing a ball game, recital or event before his mobility challenges. After his Parkinson’s diagnosis, he was ever the fighter, meeting many kind people at Martin Juarez’s Boxing Group for Parkinson’s, where he was affectionately nicknamed “Bonecrusher” amongst the group. 

Ed was preceded in death by his parents Rev. Roger Edward Williams Sr. and Andree (Benoist) Williams. He is survived by his wife Becky Williams and daughter Abby Williams Murray and husband John; granddaughter Mallie Murray and grandson Grant Murray, sisters Caroline Williams Polson & Mary Williams Prince (Mike), brothers Mark Williams (Georgiana) and John Williams, his aunt, Doris Ann Benoist, as well as many nieces, nephews, & cousins. He treasured the special relationship he had with his cousin, Paul Benoist and wife Ginny.

The family would like to thank Affinity Hospice, as well as a host of others over the years; Helen, Rodney, Brandon, Tee, Tanya, Antonio, Flo, and Sonya for their service, caregiving and friendship during his transition and final days. 

There will be a visitation reception at 11:00 on Friday, January 20th at Trinity United Methodist Church, followed by a service to celebrate Ed’s life at 12:30pm. 

A donation of Ed’s brain was made to the University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, in hopes of providing a critical piece in the research to better the lives of Parkinson’s patients. The family asks that donations be made in Ed’s name to PD Fight Club at Juarez Boxing, 1630 Crestwood Boulevard, Irondale, AL 35210, so that this specialized program can continue to help give hope to the growing community of Parkinson’s patients, helping improve their quality of life while research finds a cause and cure to end this disease forever.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Williams family.