David Kelly Williams

After 69 full years on planet Earth, David Kelly Williams passed away unexpectedly on April 3rd, 2023. In his final hours he seemed to be finding peace as he was surrounded by his surviving relatives: his beloved daughter, Emily Elizabeth Williams, his (step)daughter, Kirsten Elin Smith, and his stepson, Eric Adam Webb. David was the only son of the late Raymond Williams and Edith Bundy, and brother to the late Kathy Williams. He was the devoted husband to the late Lucy Brooke Talikwa. David and Lucy were by each other’s side, through thick and thin, and the worst and the best of times. No matter how hard things got, they always found a way to laugh and get by. David was a lover of life: of nature, his many animals, and his garden. He gave generously and routinely to the World Wildlife Fund and watched countless nature programs; he was particularly fond of ones narrated by David Attenborough, who he thought was the best man alive. David loved food, beer, and the once popular diet soft drink “Tab” which he could be seen drinking until it was sadly discontinued. David received his Master’s in Geography from the University of Tennessee and was a life-long UT Vols Fan. He did not like the Florida Gators. At all. He worked for the state of Tennessee as a city planner, serving East Tennessee communities for over two decades. He then worked for Tennessee Department of Transportation and the East Tennessee Development District. David took on a second job at Target when Emily was born to help support the family. He kept working there over the years, valuing the company of his co-workers and the customers. He enjoyed being part of a community. David was loved by his colleagues, who enjoyed his sometimes-juvenile sense of humor and who valued his commitment to being a generally good man. Indeed, the character of David Williams, his spirit of true kindness and generosity, is what we should all strive for. David would take $50 bills and put them in envelopes in his wallet; when he came across a person who he said, looked “down on their luck” he would hand him the envelope and say to “pay it forward.” Anyone who knew David couldn’t help but be his friend, or at least get into a 30-minute-long conversation in the aisles of Target. Most of all, David loved his wife and his daughters. He was endlessly loving and kind to each of them and they were lucky to have had him for as long as they did. David’s loss is, for what’s left of the family, nothing less than a tragedy and we are devastated not to have him. The show “Seinfeld” was watched endlessly by David, Lucy, Emily, and Kirsten. As a family, they often would dine at Naples on Kingston Pike (where David always ordered the lasagna) and quote lines to one another, laughing perhaps a bit too loudly at the dinner table. For a final laugh: “Serenity Now!” In memory of David, donations can be made to the World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org. The family will celebrate David's life on Friday from 3:00 - 6:30 pm at Rose Funeral & Cremation - Mann. Online condolences may be made at www.rosefuneraltn.com

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David Kelly Williams

October 12, 1953 - April 3, 2023