- Date Of Death: August 27, 2016
- State: Missouri
John B. “Jack” Williams, Jr., 94, of Mexico, MO, formerly of Madison, died Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the SSM Hospital in Mexico. John was born September 20, 1921 in Moberly, to John B., Sr. and Ruth Elizabeth (Birge) Williams.
John served his country in the U.S. Navy, during World War II. He was assigned to the USS Vestal, which was moored next to the USS Arizona when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Some of his shipmates died in that attack. He was also in England for a while, and remembers that time fondly, except for the sneak attacks by Germany at night. He received his honorable discharge in 1947.
After returning home, he married Alvira “Vera” Strothoff on April 16, 1953 in Hannibal, MO. They then purchased a farm in Madison, and began to pursue John’s lifelong dream of farming; retiring in 2014. He also had taught machine shop and welding at the Moberly Vocational School during the late 60’s and early 70’s.
John was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and two brothers, Louis and Arthur Williams. Survivors include a son Preston Williams and wife Tammy; grandson John Williams and wife Jullia; two step-daughters Jeanne Wood and Connie Ayer all of Madison; other relatives and friends.
His greatest joys have been coon hunting, raising champion Plott hounds, pursuing the craft of buggy and carriage building, and owning several nice pairs of draft horses. He enjoyed listening to his grandson’s fiddling, and his son’s blacksmithing pursuits.
