Ted Lee Williams of Richland, Washington found his peace on the morning of September 1, 2011. Bernice, his devoted wife of 51 years, was by his side.

Ted was born on June 26, 1931 in Denver, Colorado. He first moved to Richland with his parents Stan and Kay Williams in 1947. Ted loved everything about baseball and during the late 1940s he played in the Fast Pitch Softball League in Richland getting the opportunity to play against Eddie Feigner – The King and His Court. Ted was a big fan of outdoor motor sports, and even though he was 6’4”, on the weekends he could be found driving Indy “Midget” Race Cars. Ted used to tell stories of riding the rails “hobo style” and getting to see the country by freight train. However his favorite mode of transportation was on the back of his Harley; if he could have, he would have been buried with his bike. Ted held numerous jobs during his life, including working as an orderly at the state mental hospital in Orofino, Idaho, which led to many more entertaining stories. Ted met Bernice on January 1, 1960 and after a 19 day courtship they were married. In 1966, with his wife and daughter, Ted moved to Fort Bragg California, where he earned his FCC Broadcaster’s License and became a radio DJ; regaling his listeners with stories about his “fat” wife and baby daughter. At the time, Bernice weighed only 90lbs and that was in her winter clothes. In 1967, the family moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon where Ted worked at the local radio and then television station. That year he welcomed a son, and Ted’s world was complete. In 1977, Ted moved his family to Finley and went to work at Sandvik Special Metals. Ted was a member of the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers Union and enjoyed keeping management on their toes; a trait he gladly passed on to his daughter. He retired as a millwright in 1994. Ted’s true passion in life, however, was his family. He lived for his kids. Whether it was coaching Little League teams for his son, or umpiring his daughter’s softball games, Ted could always be found with his children. In 1972, even though his son was too young to join, Ted started a Cub Scout Pack, leading it as Cub Master until 1977. While living in Klamath Falls, Ted’s summers were filled with bar-b-ques, birthday parties and fireworks. At Halloween Ted was the favorite adult chaperone in his hunch back monster costume, and in the winter he would sit in his parka with a thermos of “coffee” by his side as the kids took turns on the local sledding hill. With camping trips to the lake and fishing outings to the nearby rivers and creeks, Ted passed his enthusiasm for the outdoors to his children. After he moved to Finely, Ted loved spending his Friday nights at his children’s sporting events where he would announce the River View High School football games and cheer as Amtrak roared pass. In winter he would be indoors with the basketball teams and spring would find him at every baseball game. Ted was very involved in his children’s academic lives as well; never missing an open house, teacher conference or skating party. He was a member of their elementary school advisory board and in 1981 was elected to the Finley School District School Board. He delighted in being able to personally hand his children their High School Diplomas. Ted’s proudest moment came when he watched as his son received his commission into the United States Air Force after graduating from the Air Force Academy. In 1995 Ted moved back to Richland, and closer to two of his grandchildren and then his two great-grandsons. He became as actively involved in their lives and took great pleasure in watching them grow. Ted enjoyed traveling and would often venture to different locations around the world to see his son and his three “way too far away” grandchildren. Ted enjoyed leatherwork and once had a business making beautiful handcrafted belts, purses and artwork. Ted’s talent for woodworking created many birdhouses that Bernice proudly displays in their back yard, and rocking “Harleys” that thrilled little ones. In his spare time you could find Ted watching or listening to a Mariners’ game, unless the Red Sox were playing, which would then take precedence.

Ted will be missed here on earth by his wife Bernice, his daughter Teresa, and her husband Jerry Sooter, his son Lt. Col. Trace, and his wife Beth Williams, his grandchildren Stasi Mix, Tyler Mix, Hannah Williams, and Hailey Williams, his great-grandsons Hunter Edmondson and Nik Edmondson, numerous extended family members and friends. Ted was greeted at Heaven’s Gate by his parents and his loving grandson Aaron Williams.

Funeral services will be held on Friday September 9, 2011 at 2:00 pm at Einan’s Funeral Home. Viewing and visitation will be held Thursday September 8, 2011 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Aaron Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o The MUSC Foundation; 18 Bee Street, MSC 450; Charleston, SC 29425 or at https://netcommunity.musc.edu/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=192

Ted’s family would like to thank the staff at Richland Life Care for all the compassion and care they provided him, and the kindness they showed Bernice during his final transition. They would also like to thank Randy Alger for all of his help and Shirley Alger for her un-ending support; she is much more than “just the neighbor”.

In the words of his 8 year old great-grandson Hunter, “He lived a good, long life.”