Bernard (Bernie) Williams

WWII Navy aviator, civil engineer, husband, father, devoted family man.
1922-2018

 “Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.” 

A young farm boy dreamed of life beyond the recession-era hardscrabble fields of his family land and when his country called, answered and flew planes in World War II  to reach his lofty goals of those dreams. After the war, he met the woman of his dreams one summer while working to continue his studies in civil engineering at Kansas State University. In the same year he graduated (1949), he married Lois and began a 69 year odyssey of wedded bliss. This young man went on to serve as city engineer or assistant in Newton, KS; Dearborn, MI; Topeka, KS; El Paso, TX; and Hutchinson, KS.  He sang in numerous church choirs during his lifetime as well as served as an officer in those church administrations.  He joined countless organizations ranging from the Sigma Pi Epsilon fraternity at KSU to the American Society of Civil Engineers. His family grew to include two sons, Mark and Jay, who he guided to become successful men in their own right. He loved to travel and golf and visited over half the United States in his wanderlust. 

The Williams family hope you will take a moment to reflect on your personal encounters with him and think fondly of them. We know he enjoyed his time with all of his family, friends and acquaintances and so thank you for your thoughts and memories of his life.