Stuart Horace Williams

Colonel Stuart Horace Williams, U.S. Army (Ret.), was born on January 12, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan, to Horace and Daisie (Johnson) Williams. Stu passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on March 20, 2025, in Huntington Beach, California. He was 88 years old.

A 1954 graduate of Mount Clemens High School in Michigan, Stu earned a bachelor's degree in mining engineering from Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1958 where he was a member of the swim team, Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, and the Army ROTC program. Commissioned into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May 1959, Stu married Diane (Petersen) Williams on October 10, 1959, and together they went on to have four children.

Stu later earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla in 1965.

During his distinguished Army career, Stu served in various command and staff assignments around the world, including South Korea, Southeast Asia, Panama, and West Germany, as well as posts within the United States. Most significantly, Stu served with the 9th Infantry Division between 1968 and 1969 in south Vietnam and participated in the battles of the Tet Offensive in the Mekong Delta. Serving as division engineer, 1st Armored Division, post commander of Johnson Barracks, and commander, 16th Engineer Battalion, Furth, West Germany, as well as garrison commander of Fort Hood, Texas, he made a considerable impact. He retired from the Army in 1986 after nearly three decades of service. His many decorations included the Bronze Star Medal and the Legion of Merit.

Following Army retirement, Stu continued his civil engineering career with global work on major construction projects, including the Washington, D.C., Metro and Los Angeles Metro Rail systems, and the United States Embassy in Singapore.

Stu's dedication to service extended well beyond his decorated military career and profession. He was deeply involved in the Military Officers Association of America, an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, volunteered with various veteran organizations, and devoted countless hours advocating for veteran benefits and services at the Virginia General Assembly. At Sydenstricker United Methodist Church in Springfield, Virginia, Stu served on various committees and was honored as the 2017 Man of the Year for his "service to God, the church, and the community." He continued to serve at his most recent church home, Mesa Verde United Methodist Church in Costa Mesa, California.

Stu loved fixing things and never missed an opportunity to help with a home project or a maintenance project at his church. He was a voracious reader with a deep love of history and enjoyed visiting historical sites and museums. He valued physical fitness throughout his life; a collegiate swimmer at Michigan Tech, Stu remained active through swimming, racquetball, handball, and running. He enjoyed traveling, visiting with family, and especially trips to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to reconnect with extended family and the outdoors during Erickson family reunions.

Stu is survived by his wife Jan Ogle of Huntington Beach, California; his brother, Richard (Kathy) Williams of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan; his sister, Anna (James) Taylor of Hancock, Michigan; his sister-in-law, Darlene (DeSmet) Williams of Cheboygan, Michigan; his former wife, Diane (Petersen) Williams, the mother of his children and with whom he shared many years; and their children, Cheryl Williams of Atlanta, Georgia; Caroline Williams (Dave Bennett) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Matthew Williams (Debbie) of Chantilly, Virginia; and Christina Brown (Vincent) of Reston, Virginia; along with five grandchildren—Madeleine and Nels Williams, and Sarah, Emily, and Vince Brown—and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. Stu was preceded in death by his parents, Horace, and Daisie Williams; his older brother, Dean Williams; his younger sister, Sue Ellen (Williams) Plom; and his brother-in-law, Doug Plom, who passed away several months after Stu.

The family will hold a memorial service on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Sydenstricker United Methodist Church in Springfield, Virginia. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at a later date.

To honor his memory, the family invites donations in lieu of flowers to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research - https://www.michaeljfox.org/ or the USO Garden Works Program in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia - https://midatlantic.uso.org/stories/314