Theodore C. Williams

THEODORE C. WILLIAMS THEODORE C. WILLIAMS (Ted or T.C. to his friends and colleagues), age 90, passed away on July 24 at El Castillo retirement community in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he will be missed by many friends. Ted was born and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended Michigan Technological University for one quarter and then enlisted in the United States Army, serving in the 10th Mountain Division in WWII. On returning from service in Europe, he enrolled in Civil Engineering at Michigan State University, following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps. While there he met and married Dora McKibben, whom he credited with getting him through calculus. After graduation he returned to Grand Rapids to work with his father, W.B. Williams, at Williams & Works. Ted became Chairman and helped to guide that firm to prominence in consulting engineering, urban planning, and surveying. In 1966 he and his family took a year-long working sabbatical to New Zealand, where he assisted the City of Christchurch Drainage Board in establishing an engineering investigations department. Returning to Grand Rapids in 1967, he resumed his leadership of Williams & Works where during his tenure the firm won two national awards for the most significant engineering projects of the year. His first-anywhere plan for using natural wetlands as an integral part of the wastewater treatment process was selected as on of the 10 most important engineering accomplishments in Michigan's history. After retiring in 1986, he and Dora moved to Santa Fe where the condition of the Santa Fe River caught his attention. Drawing on his lifetime of experience as an environmental engineer he devised a visionary plan to restore water to the dry, weed-filled bed of the Santa Fe River, working with the Old Santa Fe Association to promote his scheme. Ted's love of skiing led him to the goal of skiing as many days as his age, which he did until 82. He was also an active member of Rotary, the Winter Sports Alliance, Santa Fe Watershed Association and the Chili and Marching Society. Ted is survived by his wife, Dora, of Santa Fe, NM; his sisters, Harriet of Newtown Square, PA, and Janet (Everett Thompson) of Grand Rapids; a son, Steve (Linda) of Grand Rapids; his daughters, Emily (Mark Ewing), of Newton, MA, and Marcy (Greg Ruppel), of Santa Fe, NM. Surviving grandchildren include Perry (Jason) Pursell, Alexander (Alexandra) Williams, Halley Ruppel, Kelsey Ruppel, Hannah Ewing, and Aaron Ewing, and great-grandchildren Nolan and Ara Pursell.