When their first son was born in Seattle, WA on July 20, 1942, Perry and Mary (Carey) Williams named him William - twice! William means strong-willed warrior, and also resolute protector. William Perry Williams would prove to live up to both of those meanings his entire life.
His love of music began listening to his dad play Dobro guitar as he sang and yodeled to the neighborhood children. He and his little brother would whisper each year's Christmas wishes to Santa at Frederick & Nelson's and then visit "the Frango lady" at the store's candy shop (who just happened to be their grandma).
The family moved to Bellingham, WA as he entered junior high. There he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Troop 6. As an athlete, he was a competitive varsity swimmer, with a powerful butterfly stroke. Bill graduated from Bellingham HS in 1960, from WWSC in 1964 and, later, attended UW and CWSC for Master's accreditation.
Bill taught school for six years; junior high, high school, and college at both secular and Christian institutions. He had a real gift for creatively challenging his students toward excellence but administration at all of those levels found his unconventional methods and dynamic energy just as challenging. A dear friend once commented that working with Bill was like trying to nail jello to a tree.
He and Sandie Toler (MBHS) were married in 1968 and in 1970 they began a decade on-the-road as entertainers. Next, he settled his growing family on the old Williams' homestead in rural Woodinville, WA and turned Seattle's historic 20th Century Fox building into a multi-media recording studio where he also developed Living Quarters, a cutting edge kiosk advertising venture.
After emergency heart surgery in 1988, the surgeon commented, "God must have a reason for you to still be here." Thirty-five years later we would look back at that somewhat prophetic utterance and see God's guidance had been paving his path long before, during and long after that event. Who knew that Bill's involvement in the Lutheran gospel outreach movement of the Jesus Revolution in the 60s would come full circle with a gospel trio called Storm Child in the 90s? Who knew that those ten secular pop culture years on-the-road would be God's training ground for the ministry of Reformation Resources, helping dwindling churches relate to younger 21st Century generations? Who knew that a spiritual vision he had in 1979 seeing himself as a pastor would come about in 2000 and continue for 24 years until God called him Home? Who knew that his broken physical heart in his mid-40s would create in him a compassionate heart that could touch other broken hearts when he sang? GOD KNEW!
Bill's dramatic tenor range and decibel level were jaw-dropping. People laughed as they grabbed sets of earplugs from a bowl at the entrance to each of his concerts but when he hit those powerhouse notes you could see them frantically stuffing them in their ears. He sang for Mariners' games, for governors and state political events, for high-profile televised funerals and low-profile weddings. He sang and yodeled the ballads of his childhood around family campfires. He crooned comfort in hospital rooms and nursing homes. His super power was making up lullabies that could put the crankiest child to sleep within minutes.
He recorded three albums, two music videos and performed numerous concerts and yet Carol Edwards, the original founder of The Woodinville Weekly once called him "the best kept secret in the community."
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother Dan. He is survived by his wife Sandie, his daughters Wendie and BrieDanielle, his son Chalon, daughter-in-law Simone, and those he called "his bestest," grandchildren Rowan, Tristan and Leif.
The thrill of his signature high note is a sensation that is not easily forgotten and neither is he.
His love of music began listening to his dad play Dobro guitar as he sang and yodeled to the neighborhood children. He and his little brother would whisper each year's Christmas wishes to Santa at Frederick & Nelson's and then visit "the Frango lady" at the store's candy shop (who just happened to be their grandma).
The family moved to Bellingham, WA as he entered junior high. There he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Troop 6. As an athlete, he was a competitive varsity swimmer, with a powerful butterfly stroke. Bill graduated from Bellingham HS in 1960, from WWSC in 1964 and, later, attended UW and CWSC for Master's accreditation.
Bill taught school for six years; junior high, high school, and college at both secular and Christian institutions. He had a real gift for creatively challenging his students toward excellence but administration at all of those levels found his unconventional methods and dynamic energy just as challenging. A dear friend once commented that working with Bill was like trying to nail jello to a tree.
He and Sandie Toler (MBHS) were married in 1968 and in 1970 they began a decade on-the-road as entertainers. Next, he settled his growing family on the old Williams' homestead in rural Woodinville, WA and turned Seattle's historic 20th Century Fox building into a multi-media recording studio where he also developed Living Quarters, a cutting edge kiosk advertising venture.
After emergency heart surgery in 1988, the surgeon commented, "God must have a reason for you to still be here." Thirty-five years later we would look back at that somewhat prophetic utterance and see God's guidance had been paving his path long before, during and long after that event. Who knew that Bill's involvement in the Lutheran gospel outreach movement of the Jesus Revolution in the 60s would come full circle with a gospel trio called Storm Child in the 90s? Who knew that those ten secular pop culture years on-the-road would be God's training ground for the ministry of Reformation Resources, helping dwindling churches relate to younger 21st Century generations? Who knew that a spiritual vision he had in 1979 seeing himself as a pastor would come about in 2000 and continue for 24 years until God called him Home? Who knew that his broken physical heart in his mid-40s would create in him a compassionate heart that could touch other broken hearts when he sang? GOD KNEW!
Bill's dramatic tenor range and decibel level were jaw-dropping. People laughed as they grabbed sets of earplugs from a bowl at the entrance to each of his concerts but when he hit those powerhouse notes you could see them frantically stuffing them in their ears. He sang for Mariners' games, for governors and state political events, for high-profile televised funerals and low-profile weddings. He sang and yodeled the ballads of his childhood around family campfires. He crooned comfort in hospital rooms and nursing homes. His super power was making up lullabies that could put the crankiest child to sleep within minutes.
He recorded three albums, two music videos and performed numerous concerts and yet Carol Edwards, the original founder of The Woodinville Weekly once called him "the best kept secret in the community."
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother Dan. He is survived by his wife Sandie, his daughters Wendie and BrieDanielle, his son Chalon, daughter-in-law Simone, and those he called "his bestest," grandchildren Rowan, Tristan and Leif.
The thrill of his signature high note is a sensation that is not easily forgotten and neither is he.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Perry Williams, please visit our flower store.
William Perry Williams's Guestbook
Visits: 17
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors