David G. Williams passed away Sunday, Nov. 26, at Berkshire Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.
Dave was born at home in South Lee to Florence K. (Elsensohn) Williams and Heamon S. Williams on May 10, 1937. He attended South Lee and Lee schools through the eighth grade when he stopped his formal education in order to help support his family by joining his father’s logging business. He was a member of VFW Post 893 and served in the U.S. Marines from 1956–58, leaving with an honorable discharge.
On July 26, 1960, he married Judith Mange. They went on to raise three daughters remaining in South Lee. In 1961, he went to work for the Lee Highway Department, retiring in 1992. He was caretaker/groundskeeper for the Crosby estate in Tyringham and continued there for the Knowles family, working until this past October.
Dave was a man of few words, but what he did say was meaningful. His hobbies were what others would consider work: upkeep to have the perfect lawn, gardening, cutting and splitting wood, and perfectly grilling a steak.
He was Dad to Kathy Lane of Lenox; Lisa Trase (Kirby) of Suffield, Connecticut; and Pam Ferris (Walt) of Becket. He was Pop Pop to Kate Chapman (Scott Snyder), Michael and Dan Lane, Samantha and Corey Trase, and great-granddaughter Iris Snyder. He is survived by his wife Judy of South Lee; sister Elizabeth Capitanio and brother Joseph Williams, both of Lee; and with numerous nieces and nephews throughout the county. He was predeceased by his parents and brothers: Heamon; Walter; Carl; Robert; and his identical twin, Donnie. He was also predeceased by great-granddaughter Charlotte Snyder.
Dave’s family would like to give a special thanks to his nephew, Heamon, who became like a son in the past few years; David Renner; the staff on 5 West; and the boys at Tri-Town Paving for getting him unstuck at least two times a year.
A graveside service for David Williams will be Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 11 a.m. at Fairmount Cemetery in Lee with the Rev. Michael Tuck of St. Helena’s Chapel, Lenox, officiating. Visiting hours will be Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Kelly Funeral Home in Lee. Friends wishing may make donations in his memory to the South Lee Fire Company or HospiceCare in the Berkshires in c/o the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main St., Lee, MA 01238. To send a donation, leave a message of condolence or share pictures, visit www.kellyfuneralhome.net.
