Mr. Williams was born Dec. 26, 1920 in Chicago to the late Harvey B. and Susan (nee Gallery) Williams. He was a 1935 graduate of St. Catherine of Siena in Oak Park and a 1940 graduate of Quigley Prep Seminary in Chicago.
He graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1941. Following mortuary school he served with the U.S. Army Air Corps (now the Air Force) as a surgical technician in Ft. Myers, Florida.
After the war he married Patricia Campbell at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Oak Park. They began a long career in the funeral business with Williams Funeral Home on Austin Boulevard in Oak Park and later Williams-Kampp Funeral Home on Lake Street in Oak Park and on Roosevelt Road in Wheaton.
Mr. Williams also owned and operated the Austin Livery Service Ltd. and Minit Car Wash both in Oak Park.
Following the death of Patricia in 1977, he married Mary Drumm. They moved to Wheaton in 1979 where he retired shortly thereafter. He was a longtime member and former president of the Oak Park Chamber of Commerce, a former director of the Oak Park Development Corporation, a member of the board of directors at the National Bank of Austin (now Austin Bank of Chicago) and a former member of the board of directors of T.A.B. Engineers in Northbrook.
He was a longtime member of St. Michael Church and later St. Daniel the Prophet Church, both in Wheaton.
Mr. Williams is survived by his children, Patricia M. (Donald) Green, Thomas J., Martin (Martha), John R. (Kim), Catherine M. (Robert) Fortier and Charles M. (Lynne) Williams; his grandchildren, Thomas (Jill) Green, Patrick (Kathy) Green, Katie (Mark) Russo, Amy Green, Kristin (fiancé Matt Jacobs), Benjamin (Marissa) and Nathan Williams, Brian, Daniel (Jenny) and Michael (fiancée Emily Jancik) Williams, Robert and Daniel Fortier, and Laura, Kevin and Jack Williams; his great-grandchildren Meara, Susan, Ryan, Colin, Gavin, Jack, Tim and Aaron.
Other survivors include his siblings, Marita (the late Albert) Salvi, Harvey B. Jr. MD (Ann), Virginia (the late Robert) Uphues, Larry (Terry), Richard (Barbara) and Michael (Cathy) Williams.
He was preceded in death by his second wife, Mary Drumm Williams, and his other siblings, Irene (the late Edward) Lortie, Jack, Mary Ann (the late Joseph) Jaros, Patrick (the late Nancy) and Susan (James) Keane.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park, and on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. until the time of a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at the St. Patrick’s Residence, 1400 Brookdale Road., Naperville. Interment is at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside.
Memorials donations are appreciated to the St. Patrick’s Residence.