DR. GEORGE "BUD" WILLIAMS Jr.

1942 - 2019

DR.  GEORGE "BUD" WILLIAMS Jr. obituary, 1942-2019, Wheaton, IL

GEORGE WILLIAMS Obituary

Dr. George "Bud" Williams, Jr., age 77, who taught at Wheaton College since 1963, died peacefully with his family at his bedside on June 12, 2019. He was born in Philadelphia, PA on May 28, 1942, and was raised in New York and Pennsylvania. He attended Penn State University where he was a gymnast on the Nittany Lions Division I national championship gymnastics team. He was also a ROTC battalion commander and a runner up for a Rhodes Scholarship. He received a full scholarship to Yale to pursue a Ph.D. but decided to first study one semester at Wheaton College. By 1963, he was teaching a full load as a graduate T.A. and coached the men's gymnastics team, which eventually won a Division III national championship in 1976. With gymnastics, he initiated the first sports ministry program at Wheaton College by taking the gymnastics team to Haiti in 1965. The rest of his teaching career was to be at Wheaton except for a three year interlude from 1966-69 to fulfill his military obligation. During this time, Captain Williams was a professor and coach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he met his wife, Edie, and married in the cadet chapel in 1967. He then returned to Wheaton College. He was also a longtime teacher, staff member, program director and board member at Wheaton's HoneyRock Camp in Three Lakes, WI. At HoneyRock, he developed the Vanguard program which later became Passage. He served for 12 years as chair of the board of trustees for Christian Camping International with a membership of 5,000 camps worldwide, was the organization's historian, and helped start the Brazilian Association in 1983. Dr. Williams served as board member and chair of Dickson Valley Camp for many years. He has been a member of College Church since 1973. He is survived by his wife Edie, his sons Nate (Ginny) and Cameron (Christine) Williams, daughter Noelle (Greg) Hogan and 9 grandchildren. He is also survived by some 14,000 students who benefited from his teaching and mentoring since 1963. A visitation will be held on Sunday, June 16, 2019, from 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL. Burial will be private at Wheaton Cemetery. A memorial service is being planned for a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to HoneyRock, 8660 Honey Rock Road, Three Lakes, WI 54562 or Dickson Valley Camp & Retreat Center, 8250 Finnie Road, Newark, IL 60541.

Published by Daily Herald on Jun. 13, 2019.
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Coach Buddy was an inspiration and a wonderful Godly man. He allowed me to give many devotions to the team, probably the first I ever gave. He is sadly missed, but most certainly he is with Our Lord and Savior in heaven.

Peter Lundberg

Student

September 13, 2019

Just learned of Bud's passing. From the time I first met and worked with Bud in the summer of '65, Bud was an inspiration to me. As I sit here and reflect, I can think of no better person that I've ever known.

Bill McGee
Wheaton/HR Alum

Bill McGee

Friend

August 16, 2019

I was stunned to read of Bud's passing in a mailing for the Honey Rock Reunion. His portrait is how I remember him.

If I were to write a piece for "My Most Unforgettable Character" in Reader's Digest, I'd write about Bud. I can only compare him to Columbo; quick witted and never shy.

Bud is a guy who I always expected to be there. It's hard to think about losing yet another huge influencer in my life. I'm starting to feel lonely down here. I owe a debt to Wheaton that only God can repay. May He become all you need, Edie, in the days ahead. He is good . . . all the time! And may we be as quick to share that truth as Bud was.

Remembering my first Thanksgiving away from home,
Carl Kindstedt, Class of '75

Carl Kindstedt

Student

June 26, 2019

We are sorry for your loss. We appreciated Bud's kindness the 13 years we lived across the street from him. Mary Holland and family

Mary Wedel

Acquaintance

June 18, 2019

I stopped to see Bud Just last month during my 40th reunion at Wheaton. It was the very day he was checked into the Alzheimers unit. Im so glad that God led me to seek him out and to tell him all he meant to me over all those years starting in 1975 as a freshman on the gymnastics team.

To this day I coach gymnastics and I take children out on adventures rock climbing and kayaking and rappelling and hiking and doing survival skills and learning to love nature much as Bud did for me at Honey Rock. He influenced my life in innumerable ways.

Not everyone understood Bud Williams. As my teammate Dave Faner once told me, Bud does not understand fear. You are at point A and you need to get to point B and so you just go. I think Dave was right because when I was learning a full twisting flyaway off of the high bar I remember Bud telling me, Just let go and wrap it up!

But Bud was so proud of us who came through the program. I remember when Dave Watt was inducted into the Hall of Fame and Bud was so proud and I was there with Stan Thompson, another national champion and teammate of mine. My claim to fame athletically actually ended up in the sport of boomerang throwing where I went on to win numerous world and national championships. But was so excited about my accomplishments! He would brag about me to anyone and everyone who would listen. And you just saw the genuine love he had for his athletes. And I was not much of a gymnast. It wasnt like I was one of his All-Stars and yet he remembered me for the rest of his life and was proud of me.

Bud was the fittest man I knew and I really felt like he would live forever unless God called him home and thats exactly what He did! What a blessing to Bud and his family that when his mind began to falter God said, Well done good and faithful servant. its time to come home.

In my last visit with Bud even though I dont believe he knew who I was, he sure knew about Honey Rock and we talked about Honey Rock and we looked at pictures of Honey Rock. Honey Rock would not be there without Bud Williams and Harvey Chrouser and some of those great legendary men of Wheaton past.

Rest In Peace my dear friend and I will see you again someday in glory! Please Lord, do not let Bud wear double knit slacks and turtlenecks from the 70s in Heaven. Amen.

Chet Snouffer

Student

June 16, 2019

Remembering happy days living in Wheaton, and all your kindness especially to our son Lee whom you introduced to downhill skiing. Our best regards always.

JUNE DALTON

Neighbor

June 15, 2019

I have wonderful memories of tromping through the woods at Honey Rock with Bud teaching us all sorts of things about all sorts of things. He had a wealth of knowledge about so many subjects. I will remember him as a kind, gentle, and passionate man of God that shared his passions with so many students.

Megan Williams

Student

June 13, 2019

Bud was the husband of my first cousin, Edie... we had many visits together and I always thought of him as a kind and gentle soul. Perhaps he and my husband and have connected in Heaven where their bodies are whole and healed. Praying for you, Edie, and your family.
With loving sympathy, Marti Cook

Marti Cook

Family

June 13, 2019

Edie, I remember Bud's help my first summer at DL...when was "on leave" from HRC. He provided the outline for our staff manual - which is now over 400 pages and has been requested or copied on line by over 1000 camps. It was always good to see Bud when in Wheaton - to learn what I should be reading!
God does give strength as you struggle with your huge loss
"chief chuck"

Charles Gieser

Coworker

June 13, 2019

My thoughts and prayers are with Edie, my cousin, and her grown-up children and the grands at this time. Always enjoyed talking with Bud when I would visit in Wheaton. May you experience God's sustaining grace as you continue life's journey without your loving partner.

Valerie Wilson

Family

June 13, 2019

Nancy and I are so sorry to hear this news. I have happy memories of Bud from my student days at Wheaton and our years together at College Church. One of my most enduing memories is visiting Bud in the hospital only a few hours after he had undergone major surgery. Upon entering his room (and much to my surprise!), there was Bud standing next to his bed with a tube sticking out from beneath his hospital gown that went from his chest to a nearby machine. I asked him why he wasn't in bed! Bud replied, "I think I'll be better off if I begin rehab as soon as possible." Grit and determination. Always with a smile. He truly was, "Bionic Bud." I am so grateful we will see him again. Edie, Nate, Cameron, and Noelle, Nancy and I send our love and sympathy to you all.

Randall Gruendyke

Student

June 13, 2019

Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.

The Hultgren Family and Staff

June 13, 2019

Our sympathy to Edie and the kids, and remembering many interactions with Bud during our time in Wheaton in the late '70s, with the kids and our kids at Family Camps, with Bud out in the wilderness of northern WI taking a re-supply to some of the Vanguard boys trekking through to their rappelling session, and holding one of the young boys on a rope as the belayer, under Bud's instruction. And then he recommended Lynn to Chuck Gieser at Deerfoot as Camp Nurse in 1982. So many memories of times together. Blessings to all.

Lynn and Bill Gosling

Bill and Lynn Gosling

Friend

June 12, 2019

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3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Hultgren Funeral Home and Cremation Services - Wheaton

304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187

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Hultgren Funeral Home and Cremation Services - Wheaton

304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187

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