E. Wayne Williams

E. Wayne Williams of Tampa, Florida, passed away on September 19, 2024, at the age of 84. A true Floridian he was born and raised in Ocala, Florida before joining the U. S. Army and serving overseas in Germany. After serving in the military, Williams earned a degree in electronic engineering from the University of Florida. During his professional career, he served as the international director of marketing and sales for GTE Lenkurt, the manufacturing arm of the GTE Corporation which provided him opportunities to travel the world. He also was the president of U.S. Comm-sults, a telecommunications consulting firm.

Wayne's life took an unexpected and serendipitous turn when he met his wife, Rhea F. Law, over a CB radio as she commuted daily from Tampa to the Stetson University College of Law. Initially hesitant to respond, Rhea was soon won over by his voice, and their love story began with a simple breakfast of granola bars and coffee at a scenic overlook near the Howard Frankland Bridge. The two shared a 39-year marriage filled with shared passions, particularly their mutual love for racing. Wayne began racing cars as a teenager, and the couple later built their own race car, competing at tracks across the Southeast.

Wayne's love and dedication to Rhea extended to supporting her in her role as president of the University of South Florida (USF). Together, they attended countless USF events, fundraisers, and Bulls games. Their philanthropic impact on USF spans 28 years and includes a significant contribution to the Judy Genshaft Honors College, where they funded the grand staircase as a symbol of student success. Wayne and Rhea also generously supported the USF Alumni Association, Athletics, Women in Leadership and Philanthropy, and numerous other programs.

Deeply devoted to their faith, Wayne and Rhea were active members of Idlewild Baptist Church since 1995, where they shared the tradition of reading two chapters of the Bible together each morning. Wayne was a member of several professional and civic organizations, including the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Community Development Corporation, the Telephone Pioneering Group, the Sports Car Club of America, and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

Wayne is survived by his beloved wife, Rhea F. Law, his son Gregory Williams, his daughter Lisa Williams, his son-in-law Jason Kammerdiener, his brother Claude Williams, his grandson Ryan Williams, and his granddaughter Samantha Williams.

Services to celebrate Wayne’s life will be held at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Florida, on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m., with lunch to follow at 12:15 p.m. A livestream will be available at https://www.idlewild.org/funeral/. A brief graveside memorial service will be held at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund through the USF Foundation has been created in Williams’ honor. The fund will benefit numerous university programs and initiatives that Williams and Law have supported over the years.