John Henry "Buster" Williams

1926 - 2020

John (Buster) Henry Williams was born February 11th, 1926 the oldest of three children born at home to Ethel Edwina (Nee McKinley) and John Cutler Williams in Clyde Idaho.

At the tender age of four, John lost his father to Leukemia. When he was 7 his mother remarried widower, Harold David Hawkes, the father of seven children. Ethel and Harold had seven children together creating a blended family with seventeen children; 3 hers, 7 his, and 7 theirs.

During WWII he joined the Army Air Core. After returning from his tour of duty he went to work for Little Land and Livestock in Howe Idaho. It was here he met and married Bernice Boyce Beasley. They were married February 14th, 1948 and had five children together: Susan Bernice, Ethel May, LaDona Jean, Steven John and Lorrin LaVell.

John worked at various agricultural jobs up to 1955 when he started work for a pipeline company where he learned to operate heavy equipment. Pipeline work took the family to many new places requiring numerous moves across the Rocky Mountains and the Midwest. In 1962 John went to work in Alaska for the first time in Yakutat. He came back to Idaho and in 1964 accepted the opportunity to move the entire family to Alaska. They lived and worked in Alaska for 30 years. John worked for various construction companies doing work on roads, dams, sewer system, and airstrips all over Alaska from Craig Alaska to Purdue Bay but he was mostly in the Southeast. In the 30 years he was in Alaska, 20 years was spent in Juneau.

His first job in Juneau was working on the first phase of the Snettisham Hydro Electric Dam at Taku inlet. He bought a little cabin cruiser because of weather conditions not being able to fly home all the time to Juneau. He had a lot of friends that would ride with him to and from Juneau. From these friends he learned the waters of Juneau and all the best fishing spots in the area. He also worked on the Alaska pipeline for four years.

John retired from local 302 Operating Engineers Union in 1986 so he and his sweetheart could return to Idaho to be near and take care of both their mothers. They lived in Shelley Idaho then moved to Challis Idaho and eventually settled in Pocatello Idaho until his passing November 2nd, 2020.

John enjoyed fishing with his brother Vernon Williams as well as his children and grandchildren, favoring to fish in his little Orange boat that his grandchildren called "The Pumpkin". His favorite spots were on the Bay Horse Lake, Mackay Reservoir, Spring Creek and going camping and fishing in Island Park.

John is survived by his Wife of 72 years, Bernice; by his daughters, Susan Lee and LaDona (Dennis) Hein, and his sons Steven (Dotti) and Lorrin (Lisa) Williams; by 20 grandchildren, 35 Great grandchildren, and 7 Great Great grandchildren; by his brothers Richard (Helen) and Tom (Gloria) Hawkes; by his sisters Connie (Steve) Anderson and Patsy Hawkes; by his sister in laws; Sandy Williams, Floy Robinson Hodges, Nona Cates, Glenna Beckstead, Deanna McInelly; and by many nieces and nephews.

John was proceeded in death by his mother, father, and step father; by his daughter Ethel May, and Grandson Arron David Lee; by his brother Vernon and sister Donna; by all his seven step siblings Adriene, Leona, Theresa, Olive, Louis, Louise and Blanche; by his half siblings Sidney, Darwin, and Elsie.

Condolences can be sent to the family at Wilks Funeral Home 211 West Chubbuck Road Chubbuck ID 83202 www.wilksfuneralhome.com or Bernice Williams at 28 Edmo Ext Pocatello ID 83202.