Fredric Bruce Williams - January 11, 1920 - June 8, 2009

Nancy,
I'm sorry to hear about your father's passing.
My father passed away in 1989 at the young age of 74. He was a hard working man who liked to work but was medically retired because of a heart problem. He still continued to work at a pace that didn't hurt him too much and was found at his wood pile where he was loading a cord of wood to deliver, because he was bored and wanted something to do... I never felt my own mortality until his death.. as long as he was alive, I felt I could live forever.

It will never go away completely, but time will dull the pain.
Keep him in your heart and he'll always be with you.
 
I want to thank all of you for your notes and condolences on my father's death. I did tell Vaughn and the mod staff that I wouldn't be available, but I left New Mexico at a dead "run" on Saturday, May 30, and drove 1050 miles - by myself - in 17 hours, with one stop for four hours of sleep. I had a few days with him when he was still lucid enough to know I was here, and I was able to say good-bye to him before he left us. He was cremated, and the memorial service was yesterday, June 10. It has been a difficult time for my mother, my sister, and me, as he has been so ill for about 18 months. This end was somewhat of a relief for us, particularly my mother, as she had cared for him at home for 11 of those months. He is now at peace, he is with the angels, and will be waiting for the rest of us when we pass over.

Son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather!
Gardener, camper, boater, builder.
Loyal, trusting and trustworthy.
Helpful and a true helpmate.
He was a good and sensitive and gentle man.



He was one of the good guys - a gentle, patient, and forgiving giant of a man--about 6'6" and 235# at his prime. The day he died, he weighed 112 pounds! He was my hero, my rock, the one I always turned to when I was feeling down or blue. To me, he hung the moon and put the stars in the sky. He had his faults, but they were minor compared to his positive attributes. No one in my life - until my husband - has come even near to being as wonderful as my Daddy.


I'll miss him, but I have so many wonderful memories of him to sustain me.

He wrote me a letter in 2004, shortly before his 60th wedding anniversary. In it, he said "I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I have led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I have loved the same woman for 60 years, along with our two daughters, and to me, this has been enough."


It was more than enough. My sister and I have enough memories to sustain us for the rest of our lives, and in our hearts, he will never be far away.

 
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