Robert Lee Williams

As a youth, he attended St. Jerome Catholic School before attending public school in the Cypress Fairbanks School District. He was fond of livestock and agriculture and became a 4-H member where he earned recognition and awards. He graduated from Cypress Fairbanks High School in 1980. He later earned numerous technological certifications and licenses related to his crafts.

Robert accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized by his grandfather, the late Rev. Charlie H. Hill. He rededicated his life to Christ and God allowed some strong leaders to spiritually pour into his life: the late Pastor Melvin Smith (St. James MBC); Pastor A. C. Cooper (Mt. Pilgrim MBC); Pastor Isaac Alfred, Jr. (Greater Macedonia Baptist Church, where he was ordained as a deacon); and he finished his race under the tutelage of his current pastor, Rev. Calvin Smith, Sr. (St. James MBC).

Robert had an humble spirit and was generous to all. God blessed him with talents and skills to work with his hands. He is known in his community as one you can depend on for assistance with anything that needed to be installed, fixed, wired in, cabled, hooked up, built or reconstructed. He was an instructor for IES Communications and earned the respect of his trainees as well as his manager, Shelley Olmstead. As a project manager in IT, his career spanned: Warner Cable, Fisk Electric Company, Electra Link, DirectLine, i.e. Smart Systems and IES Communications.

Robert loved his church, he loved the brethren and he loved his pastor. He strived for order and wanted things done correctly and did his best to model that. He wanted to leave things better than he found them. Some of his most recent initiatives included establishing the Deacon’s Breakfast Meeting, refurbishing the men’s and women’s facility, reestablishing the church building fund and making the vestibule more efficient. He worked as a man on a mission to complete tasks and projects. Debra would fuss if he overexerted himself but nevertheless, she worked diligently right along side him.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Michael Lee Williams; father, Tassie Harold and mother, Rosie Mae Williams; sister, Lura Hill; grandparents, Charlie H. and LVD Hill; Mose and Leola Williams.

He leaves to cherish his memories: a devoted and loving wife, Debra Foster Williams; a loving son, Iris Lee Williams; one uncle, Charlie Hill, Sr.; siblings- Evelyn Foreman (Robert); Linda Myers- Missouri; Leola Fuller (Kevin); a host of nieces and nephews; sister in laws, brother in laws: Willie J. Foster, Freddie R. Harris, Jimmy R. Foster, cousins, friends and co-workers.

“My bus is washed, waxed and shining!” -Robert