Clarence Daniel “Red” Williams ’48

Clarence Daniel “Red” Williams ’48, of Irmo, S.C., passed away Sept. 21 after 57 years of active ministry throughout South Carolina. He was born Dec. 9, 1925, in Summerville, S.C., to S.C. United Methodist minister Luther D.B. Williams and his wife, Elizabeth Joyner Williams. He was preceded in death by his wife, Belva Morse Williams; his sister, Mary Wynn Williams; and his brother, David J. Williams. Surviving are his son, Danny Williams, 304 Hathcock Ct., Columbia, SC 29210-3834; daughters, Sherry (Hal Fair), Dawn (Wesley Gilliland), and Wendi (Timothy Mundy); seven grandchildren, Rainey Chadwell (Brandon), Banks Fair (Mardi), Joseph and Adam Gilliland, and Ashley, Sloan, and David Mundy. Like his father, Williams was a United Methodist minister in the S.C. Annual Conference. He served seven local churches including Wayne U.M.C., Georgetown; St. John U.M.C., Sumter; Mauldin U.M.C.; Bethany U.M.C., Summerville; John Wesley U.M.C., Charleston; Trinity U.M.C., Spartanburg; and Union U.M.C., Irmo. He retired from the S.C. Annual Conference in 1993 and became the minister of visitation at Trenholm Road U.M.C., Columbia, where he served the next 17 years. Without his parents’ knowledge, he applied to Wofford College, where he lettered in football. While there, another calling came, and he left to serve in the U.S. Army during WWII as a radio operator and tail gunner on a B-17 over the Pacific. Post-war he returned to North Carolina and graduated from Davidson and Duke Divinity School. With the onset of the Korean conflict, he once again was pulled into a war effort. This time, however, he served as a chaplain. After the war, he married his college sweetheart, and they were stationed at Ft. Benning, Ga., until he was honorably discharged. He and Belva moved to Georgetown, S.C., where he assumed his first pastoral appointment. What is unique is his continued effort (educational programming, etc.) as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He graduated the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kans., ultimately attained the rank of colonel, and, in 1980, was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. As is true with most beloved ministers, Williams’ pastoral efforts were endless, and many, many individuals have been blessed. He was a true genius, avid reader, competitive board gamer, steadfast friend, and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He will be most remembered as a compassionate Christian crusader and for his words, “Let’s have prayer together, amen, amen, and amen.”