Robert A. Williams

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Robert A. Williams of Gulf Breeze, FL and a former resident of Friendship passed away on March 25, 2022 in Sacred Heart Hospital, Pensacola, Florida.  He was born  on January 21, 1935 in Cuba, a son of the late Clifford Albert and Gladys Lucile Steenrod Williams. He married Elizabeth "Penny" Pendleton who predeceased him in 2009. 

He was loved and adored. Bob grew up in Friendship as the second oldest of 7 siblings in a musical family. He graduated as valedictorian from Friendship Central High School in 1953. He received a full scholarship to Cornell University where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1958. He played the cornet in high school and marched in the Big Red Marching Band at Cornell. In 1972, he received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army from 1958-1960 and was stationed in Greenland. After his mandatory service, he began his civilian career as an electrical engineer in the Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Belvoir, VA.

In 1966, he married Elizabeth “Penny" from Buffalo. They raised three children together in Alexandria, VA where they lived together for over 30 years. Bob and Penny attended Unitarian Universalist Churches wherever they lived, beginning with the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Washington, DC, where they met.

Bob retired in 1993 and became a fulltime Grandpa, which took him from VA to FL to CA to TN and back to FL. He was widowed in 2009 and moved back to Gulf Breeze, FL with his oldest daughter and grandson in 2015 and rejoined the UU Church of Pensacola where he enjoyed singing in the choir. Bob loved life and enjoyed simple pleasures: family, any animal, brewed coffee, music of all kinds, travels, museums, theater, and his church. He was an environmentalist and community minded. Bob was always loving, kind, patient, and a genuine friend to all as well as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. A lifetime learner, he was admired for a keen intellect. He was never far from a newspaper and crossword puzzle. His legacy is one of unflappable calmness and steadiness that brought great strength and comfort to all who knew him. His passing is an enormous loss to his family and friends.

Surviving are two daughters; Lisa Louise Rawson, Kristin Marie Williams; and a son, Robert Pendleton (Kate) Williams ; grandchildren; Monica Nicole (Phillip) Scruggs, Michael Gregory Rawson, Mason Robert Rawson, Marshall Edward Rawson, Henry Peter Williams, Claire Elizabeth Williams and Thomas Bennett Williams; his siblings; Ruth Ailene Williams, L. Herbert (Karen) Williams, Martha Lucile Williams, Walter (Dottie) Williams; and multiple nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. 

In addition to his wife and parents he was predeceased by a sister, Edythe Ann Thompson in 2020 and a brother, Albert Irving Williams on March 14, 2022.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 1:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, 9888 Pensacola Boulevard, Pensacola, FL 32534. A graveside service with military honors will be held on Monday, July 3, 2023 at 11:00 am in Maple Grove Cemetery, Friendship. Bob Schooley, pastor of the Centerville United Methodist Church, will officiate. Military Honors accorded by American Legion Post 1168 of Friendship. 

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