Joseph E.G. Williams

CHARLESTON, IL – Dr. Joseph E.G. Williams, age 67 of Charleston, passed into God’s care on August 7, 2018, surrounded by family.  He was the husband of Dr. Mary Pat Williams.  Born in Providence, Rhode Island August 28, 1950, he was the son of the late Hazel May (Williams) Battey, and stepson of the late Raymond A. Battey of Greenville, Rhode Island. Besides his loving wife and soul-mate, he is survived by his two cherished sons, Logan M.E. Williams and Tristan C.J. Williams, both of Charleston; his brothers, John M. Garcia Sr. and wife Alethea of Bar Harbor, Maine; James E. Garcia of Johnston, Rhode Island; his sister-in-law, Madelyn Garcia and niece Carrie E. Garcia, both of Greenville, Rhode Island; his nephews J. Michael Garcia Jr. of California; and his niece Lauren E. Garcia of Rhode Island.  He was also the brother of the late William R. Garcia of Edgewater, Florida.

Dr. Williams graduated from Smithfield High School, Smithfield, Rhode Island and served honorably in the United States Navy, being trained as a Hospital Corpsman during the Vietnam War.  Following this, and prior to college, he held medical related jobs as an operating room surgical nurse; intensive care/cardiac care monitoring tech; emergency room tech; pharmacy assistant; and also analyzed 24 hour cardiographic recordings.

Dr. Williams, trained as a BioPsychologist, was a Professor in the Psychology Department at Eastern Illinois University with 25 years of service.  He found satisfaction interacting with his colleagues, students, and staff, but also with the many service personnel on campus to whom he would talk or wave to when seeing them.  He greatly enjoyed teaching and served as the Faculty Advisor for the Psi Chi Psychology Student Honor Society.  He had additional prior teaching experiences at Boston University; University of Massachusetts, Boston; Loyola University, Roosevelt & Mundelein Colleges, Chicago and at North Central College in Naperville.  Dr. Williams gained post-doctoral training at The University of Chicago Drug Abuse Research Center; the Neuroscience Division at Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago; and at Queen Mary & Westfield College of the University of London, England.

He was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council 4024 (St. Charles Borromeo Church); Charter Member of the Charleston American Legion Post 93; member and former treasurer of the Fox Ridge Foundation; and an adult committee member and former treasurer of Boy Scout Troop 141 in Charleston.  He was helpful in bringing a number of projects to completion in all of these groups, but worked especially to make the scouting experience more enjoyable and meaningful for his sons and the other scouts in the troop.  In recognition of his commitment to scouting, he was selected for membership in the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s national honor society.  This was special to him as both his sons are also members of OA.  He also served for several years as a Judge of Elections in Coles County.  In winter, Dr. Williams could sometimes be seen shoveling other people’s driveways if he felt they needed assistance, asking nothing in return. 

Dr. Williams was a member of numerous professional societies, and was elected to the following honor societies: Sigma Xi (National Research) and Psi Chi (Psychology).  He also served as both a reviewer and guest editor of research manuscripts for several professional journals in psychology and religion, and was an author and co-author on many published journal manuscripts, as well as co-author on three editions of an introductory textbook - Understanding Psychology. 

Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 13, 2018 at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston with a Prayer Service to begin at 6:45 p.m.  The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 921 Madison Avenue in Charleston, with Father Hyland Smith officiating.  Burial, with military rites, will follow in Roselawn Cemetery, Charleston.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following: Boy Scout Troop 141, the Fox Ridge Foundation, or the Knights of Columbus Council 4024.  Gifts may be left at the visitation/funeral mass or mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, Illinois 61920.