Donald Wayne Williams

D. Wayne Williams of Moscow, Tennessee July 3, 1941 – September 9, 2025

Wayne Williams passed away on September 9th, 2025, shepherded in his final moments by his wife Ann, son Chris, and daughter-in-law Debbie. His son Jeff and his wife Kellye were overseas and unable to arrive before he passed. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents William Battle and Lena Margurite Williams, brothers Gene (Jimmy) and Jack (Ann), and his first wife Mary Blanche. He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years Ann, sons Chris (Debbie) and Jeff (Kellye), stepson Mike Eaton (Emmie), grandsons Peter and Daniel Williams, and Archer, Daniel and David Eaton.

Wayne was born in Memphis in July 1941. His father died when he was 5 months old and Wayne’s brothers, especially Jack, helped raise him. He graduated from White Station High School in 1959, and, inspired by his brother Jack’s exploits as a Naval aviator, sought acceptance to the Air Force Academy, but was rejected because of color blindness. Instead, Wayne attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. He had a complicated relationship with SMU, and by mutual agreement did not return after his freshman year, instead enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1961 and returning to civilian life in 1966. He later joined the Tennessee Air National Guard’s 164th Airlift Wing, retiring as a Master Sergeant in 1997. He married his first wife, Mary Blanche Richardson in January 1962, with their first son Jeff arriving at the end of that year, and their second son, Chris, in 1964. He and Mary divorced after both boys had left home. Wayne and Ann married in 1988 and he shared the rest of his life with her.

Wayne’s career followed many paths, settling into the tire industry starting at Firestone’s Memphis facilities in 1977 and finishing at the TBC Corporation as Senior Vice President for Quality Control with his retirement in 2002. Work was important to Wayne, but it was not what defined him. People close to him also knew him as a man of faith, active in Christ Presbyterian Church. They knew him as an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing, as an amateur geologist who once served as president of the Memphis Archaeological and Geological Society, and as an amateur pilot dedicated to the preservation of historical warbirds, especially aircraft from World War II. A special passion he shared with his sons, particularly with Chris, was involvement with the White River Rogues, a group dedicated to trout fishing in the White River of Arkansas. Wayne had been looking forward to the Rogues’ semi-annual gathering in October, but his sudden illness took him instead.

Services were held September 17th, 2025, at the Peebles West Funeral Chapel at 10670 US-64, Somerville TN 38068. Visitation began at 10 am followed by the funeral service at 11 am. 

Wayne asked that no one send flowers to his funeral. Instead, Ann asks that anyone who wanted to send flowers donate to “Tunnel to Towers” t2t.org.