Bob (Bobby) Williams

Bob (Bobby) Williams went home peacefully to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on February 26, 2023 surrounded by his family.

Bob was born May 19, 1936 to Lloyd and Inez Williams in Mayes County Oklahoma. He was birthed in his family home with the assistance of a local midwife. Bob lived in Mayes County until his father purchased a gas station in Mojave, CA when he was 8 years old. He worked at his fathers gas station as a child pumping gasoline and quickly developed mechanical skills by the age of 9 years old, helping his father with service and repairs of trucks and cars.

At the age of 12, Bob’s father sold the gas station and moved the family to the Central Valley of California. Bob began working in irrigation for several area farms in the counties of Tulare, Kings, Kern and Fresno. He also continued his love for automotive mechanical work, especially modifying cars to go as fast as they possibly could. In his early teens he developed a passion of drag racing with family and friends.

Bob’s mother became very ill and passed away when he was 16 years old which left him devastated, as he loved his mother so deeply. He decided to join the U.S. Army during the Korean War at the age of 17 year old with parental permission from his father. Bob completed his U.S. Army Bootcamp and was stationed out of Fort Lewis Army Base in Washington State. He was immediately shipped over to Korea with his Army Division in 1953. He remained in Korea until the end of the Korean War conflict until 1955. Upon his return from Korea he was shipped back to Fort Lewis where he completed his 4 year commitment with intentions of reenlistment.

While Bob was on a 30 day leave from the U.S. Army he met the love of his life Geraldine (Jerri) Bailey. Geraldine was selling watermelons out of the back of an old pickup truck next to a road Bob and his father were paving while on his 30 day leave. He immediately returned to work from his break and told his father, “I’m going to marry that girl.” Within his 30 day leave from the U.S. Army they dated and would be married on December 21, 1955 prior to his return to Fort Lewis Army Base. This was the time Bob decided to not reenlist in the army and would return to the Central Valley after his stint with the U.S. Army was completed to establish a home and family with his Wife Geraldine.

By 1966 Bob and Geraldine had two daughters and a son. He was part owner of his fathers paving company and their rock and hot plant based out of Porterville California for several years. Bob and his father eventually sold the paving company and rock plant, but he continued paving for various paving companies as he was a well established and sought after heavy equipment operator and mechanic.

In the early 70’s to early 80’s Bob ran his own business, “Bob’s Used Cars” in Visalia, CA. He continued to pave roads occasionally during this time when friends and family would call him up to help out with road construction work. He continued his love for fast cars throughout this whole time period building hot rods, restoring classic cars and a new passion for building incredibly fast Volkswagen powered sand rails.

Bob continued to pave roads, operating heavy equipment well into his eighties and loved building distressed wood wishing wells and selling them at local flea markets where he made so many friends. Bob will always be remembered for his tremendous work ethic, love of his family and friends and never saying no to those who were in need of help. He had a tremendous love for kids. He especially enjoyed camping and off roading with his Aunt and Uncle Ruby and Bill Bly at the Pismo Dunes and many camping trips to Grants Grove National Park and Red Rock Canyon. He was a loving father and caring man to all who knew him.

Bob is survived by his loving wife of 67 years Geraldine (Jerri) Williams, their three children, Kimberly Whitson (Cy), Peggy Johnson, Rob Williams (Kimberly); five grandchildren, Elizabeth Rives, Cyzana Feenstra (Derek), Kealsi Luna (Ryan), Kory Williams, Kyler Williams; and five great grandchildren, Cody Oleski, Blake Oleski, Providence Feenstra, Nicolette Feenstra, Mylee Rives, Benjamin Luna, and Alexander Luna.

Bob is also survived by his Sister Norma Hicks, Sister Linda Johnston, Sister Charlotte Davis, Sister Kathy French, and Sister Annette Williams.

Bob was proceeded in death by his mother Inez Williams, Father Lloyd Williams, Sister Maxine Johnston, Louise Cooksey, and Sister Janet Williams.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations to be made to Rise Church: 5702 W Caldwell Ave, Visalia Ca 93277 in person at the church office or Rise Church online at www.risevisalia.com under donation in memory of Bob Williams.

Hope

In Christ

Assures us

That death is not

The end of the story!

1 Thessalonians 4:13c