Willard Williams

Rev. Willard Burton Williams, 91, of Pigeon, died Saturday, October 7, 2017 at Country Gardens in Pigeon under hospice care.

Willard was born March 8, 1926 near Traverse City to the late Edgar and Viola (Grody) Williams. He served in the US Army during World War II. On March 30, 1947 he married Lillian Herman at home in Chandler Twp; she preceded him in death on August 15, 2017.

Willard was an ordained minister in the Missionary Church, and during his long career he served congregations in Bliss, Petoskey, Alanson, Davison, Port Huron, Yale (all in Michigan), Mooresville, Indiana and lastly Sebring, Florida. He had a long and active involvement in the Brown City Camp, helping in numerous ways to make the camp a success through his hard work. After retiring he moved to Yale and then to Pigeon. He would want it known that his entire ministry was directed to advancing the greater glory of God.

He is survived by his daughters Linda (Gerald) Dafoe of Morristown, AZ, LaDora (Susan) Williams of Anchorage, AK, and Jeanne (Kenneth) Fox of Osceola, IN; daughter-in-law Lorraine Williams Roberts of Aurora, CO; and 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Edward and all of his siblings: Dale, Dorothy, Chester, Ashley and Isabel Williams.

Funeral services will be at 11:00am Tuesday, October 10th at the Elkton Missionary Church with Rev. Jack French officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Chandler Township Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service in church. Champagne Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements. Memorials may be made to Brown City Camp.