Joseph Cheston Williams

Cheston was born on September 1, 1972, to Robert Eugene Williams and Rosalie Christine Frehner in Las Vegas, Nevada. He moved with his family to Huntington Beach, California when he was young, and where he remained until after his father’s death in 1980. He then returned to Las Vegas where he attended Clark High School. Always thinking of new ways to meet girls, he joined “The Future Homemakers of America.” Through his dedication and enthusiasm, he was elected president of the club, earning him a trip to Washington D.C. Known for his fun-loving personality, he was popular and well-liked and made many lifelong friends.

After graduating from Clark High School in 1991, he was called to serve in the Florida Tampa Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Just before he left, with only six weeks before his scheduled departure, he met the love of his life, Sherri Wisner. They fell in love on their first date and spent every moment of every day together. Cheston would show up on her doorstep before the sun would rise and stay until well after the sun went down, making the most of their time together until he had to leave. As much as he wanted to stay and be with his sweetheart, he knew he made a commitment that he had to keep and a duty to serve, which he did faithfully for two years. He loved the people of Florida and the companions he served with, and they loved him. He found great joy in serving the Lord and bringing the gospel to those who needed to hear it.

Cheston returned home from his mission in October 1993 and was reunited with his sweetheart, Sherri Wisner. They were married on January 8, 1994 in the Las Vegas Temple. Together they raised their three children, Anthony Marcus Wisner, Hayden Joseph Williams, and Kennedy Page Williams. Twenty-six years later their first grandchild was added to the family, Asher Violet Wisner. Asher was Cheston’s best buddy and gifted him with his favorite name “Papa.” Soon after, his second granddaughter was born, Lydia Faye Wisner, adding to the great joy he had found in being a “Papa.” His favorite thing to do in life was spending time with his family, most especially his granddaughters. Cheston spent every week looking forward to his Fridays with Asher, which affectionately became known as “Papa Day.” Everywhere the two of them went you could hear them laughing, playing, and singing “Let It Go” at the top of their lungs, sometimes with wigs on.

Cheston worked many jobs throughout the years. He used to say he was 40-something years old and still didn’t know what he wanted to be when he grew up. He always wanted to try new things. For a time, he even owned an Ice Cream Truck company which he enjoyed running alongside his wife and kids. It was always a fun time, unless there was a random roadrunner nesting in one of the candy boxes. When he came face to face with that bird, he jumped headfirst out of the tiny service window screaming. Later, he owned a bread delivery business. The physical demands of that occupation resulted in his “buns of steel.” You could literally bounce a quarter off his cheeks.

Most recently, he worked in the insurance industry, a profession which he enjoyed. He owned two agencies before selling them and joining Safeguard Insurance. He enjoyed chatting with his co-workers and was certain he wanted to work there until retirement. When Safeguard merged with Associated Partners, he saw it as an opportunity to gain more friends, and that’s exactly what he did. He made it his unofficial responsibility to devise ways to convince his boss to treat the staff to lunch. He would often look for national food days, such as “National Hot Dog Day” and send his boss a reminder of the occasion. Because his boss was a fun-loving man who occasionally went along with it, everyone at the office got to enjoy nationally-recognized free food

Cheston’s huge heart was his compass, and it always pointed him in the direction of those in need. With a great capacity to love and serve others, he was always there for whatever anyone needed –offering a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, words of wisdom, and a big hug. His unusual talent for never forgetting a name or a face led his family to joke that he knew at least two people everywhere he went. Whether it was at airports in other states, beaches in other cities, or highway rest-stops along the road, he ran into people he knew and had a big smile on his face each time. He possessed a strange ability to track down any lost object, which earned him the nickname, “The Finder of All Things.” If you couldn’t find your lost tooth in a huge pile of white rocks on the side of the road at night, then Cheston was your man. Cheston could (and once actually did) find it. Misplaced keys? Cheston was who you would call, he knew exactly where they could be found. This ability led him to join “Red Rock Search and Rescue.” He enjoyed serving the community with this great organization and felt proud of his accomplishments on this team. He was trained and certified in Man-Tracking under Fernando Moreira, an accomplishment that he was extremely proud of. His amazing eye for detail allowed him to excel on the tracking team.

As a committed UFC fan, Cheston once evaded casino security, utilizing back corridors, in order to gain access to a secured area where Dana White was giving an interview. He did this for the sole purpose of asking Dana White to sign his “UFCFN” license plate, which of course he obtained. He was always brave enough to do the crazy things and ask for what he wanted. Cheston was dedicated to his early morning workouts at the gym, often waking up at 4a.m. so he could accomplish his fitness goals. In his down time, Cheston could spend countless hours watching Nascar, Golden Nights hockey games, M*A*S*H, or any tear-jerking true-life story. He loved music and would frequently comment on the songs he wanted played at his funeral. If only his family had kept notes!

Even with all his personal interests, his favorite activities always centered around his family. He was always on the lookout for the next fun adventure for everyone to enjoy. His most loved activities usually involved tents and fishing poles. If Cheston saw a body of water, he wanted to go fish in it. If he saw a beautiful mountain, he wanted to camp on it. As the life of the party, he always seemed to know about every event happening in the city, great or small, and was making plans to go to it. His love for his previous home in Huntington Beach made traveling there a must each year where he created many cherished memories for his family to hold on to. When at home, he wanted his family around and would entice them to come for dinner with his delicious brisket or au jus sandwiches. When it was just him and his sweetheart, they would sit together for hours completing puzzles, binge watching their favorite TV shows, playing games, or getting lost in conversation. When his son Anthony became engaged to Michaela, he decided to get ordained just so he could marry them. Recently, he had the joy of using this ordination to not only walk his daughter Kennedy down the aisle, but also marrying her to her husband James. He dreamed of traveling with his son Hayden to far away places that he would never be able to convince his wife to go, such as Thailand.

Cheston was the husband every woman dreamed of having. A hopeless romantic, he would always find ways to show his love. His gestures could be as small as doing dishes, or as grand as proclaiming his love on a billboard for Valentine’s Day. Their love story is something people search for all their lives, and they were lucky to have found it early in life and were blissfully married for 29 years. He was an excellent father and “Papa” that was extremely proud of his kids and enjoyed nothing more than being in their company. He was a loving brother that enjoyed his 24/7 “Fabulous Five” group chat with his siblings. If you were lucky enough to call Cheston your friend, then you knew he had a heart of gold and could be counted on for anything. He was hilarious and was always making those around him smile and laugh, sometimes uncontrollably. Those he leaves behind will forever mourn him. His absence leaving a giant hole in their hearts, and giant shoes (or flip flops) to fill.

Preceding Joseph Cheston Williams in death was his Father Robert Eugene Williams, Mother Rosalie Christine Frehner, Stepfather Gary Wayne Eldredge, brothers Leslie “Kent” Margolies Williams, and Robert Eugene Williams II, nephew Tyler Gregory Steele, and mother-in-law Penny Lynn Sears Wisner. He is survived by his wife Sherri Lynn Wisner Williams, sons, Anthony Marcus Wisner and his wife Michaela Leigh Lawrence, Hayden Joseph Williams, his daughter Kennedy Page Williams Kulik and her husband James Thomas Kulik, his granddaughters Asher Violet Wisner and Lydia Faye Wisner, his brother Michael Margolies and his wife Jenene Margolies, sisters Ayren Williams White and her husband Tyson White, Korrie Williams Mauriello and her husband Gino Mauriello, Brittnie Williams Jimenez, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at the LDS church located at 9580 Peace Way, Las Vegas, NV 89147 at 11:00. Cheston loved bright colors and when he wore socks you could be sure they were bright and colorful. The family would love if you would help celebrate Cheston by wearing something colorful, even socks count. There will be a luncheon served for family and those traveling from out of town following the service.