Jim was born on August 18, 1922, the son of Walter and Minnie Williams. He passed peacefully in his sleep on August 14, 2014 just a few days before his 92nd birthday.

He grew up in Stuttgart, Arkansas helping his struggling family by doing odd jobs including selling newspapers on the street. One highlight was receiving a five dollar tip, an enormous sum during the Depression, from a member of the Pulitzer family. He took the money straight home to his mother. As a boy he hung out at the local airfield getting joy rides from time to time from some of the flyers.

When World War II broke out his love of airplanes led him to the Army Air Corps. He became a Flight Engineer on a B-26 Marauder and flew his first mission on D-Day, June 6th, 1944, three years to the day before his daughter Bari's birth. He flew 59 combat missions over Europe, surviving a crash on June 16th, 1944, five years to the day before his son Jim's birth.

After the war, he attended Arkansas Tech where he became the Drum Major in the Arkansas Tech Band. It was there he met his wife-to-be, Kerrol Griffin, a tuba player in the band. After completing a Bachelors Degree at the University of Arkansas he received a Direct Commission in the U.S. Air Force. Jim, Kerrol and family traveled to Germany, Florida, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Missouri with the Air Force. His final duty assignment was Vandenberg Air Force Base with the 10th Air Defense Squadron. He served until 1968, retiring at the rank of Major. Jim then earned his teaching credential and taught for 15 years for the Lompoc Unified School District teaching 4th grade at Crestview Elementary School.

Jim had a great love of music. He organized the Lompoc Town Band, which played for the "A Weekend With W.C. Fields" festival in 1987. Jim was also an accomplished watercolor artist and woodworker. He was a former member of the Lompoc Art Association.

Jim loved his Lord, and was a song leader for many years at the Lompoc Church of Christ. He served in many ways, including painting the lettering on the congregation's five Joy Buses and creating signs and other artwork.

Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years Kerrol, his daughter Bari Federspiel and husband Frank of Spokane, Washington, his son Jim Williams of Lompoc, grandson Philip Graves and wife Carla of Spokane, granddaughter Polly Baldwin and husband Milt of Lompoc, great-grandchildren Colby Turnquist and wife Rhiannon of Lompoc, Camri Turnquist of Lompoc, and Cooper and Tucker Graves of Spokane.

A memorial service will be held at the Lompoc Church of Christ, 138 North O Street, at 2 PM on August 18, 2014.

The family is grateful to the Lompoc Valley Medical Center, the Comprehensive Care Center, to hospice and in particular to Dr. Gilbert Anderson for the attentive care shown to our loved one in his last days.