Fred Williams, Jr.

  Fred Williams, Jr. took flight from this Earthly home on Thursday, August 1, 2024. His family will receive visitors on Sunday, August 4, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Galbreaith Pickard Funeral Chapel, in Weatherford, Texas. 

  Mr. Williams was 101 years old and lived a life worth writing about.

  Fred was born a Hoosier in Ladoga, Indiana, in 1922, to Fred McKinley Williams and Mabel Graybill. There, he developed a love of the outdoors, agriculture, and wildlife. After graduating high school, he attended Purdue University where he met a cute girl named Shirley VanSickle after she winked at him. 

  He joined the U.S. Army Air Force in 1943, and wanted more than anything to fly. Fred graduated at the top of his class and was chosen to train other pilots for service in WWII. After receiving his wings in April of 1944 at Foster Field, he and Shirley married. Upon completion of his military service, he missed flying so much joined Southern Airways as an Air Force flight instructor.

  In 1962, Fred moved his family to Texas to train helicopter pilots for Vietnam at the Primary Helicopter School at Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells. During his aviation career, he logged an impressive 15,000 flight hours.

  After retirement, Mr. and Mrs. Williams grew Parker County peaches and raised cattle on their farm West of Weatherford.

  Throughout his entire life, Fred had an insatiable curiosity and a hunger for learning. Over the years, Mr. Williams read every history book in the Weatherford Public Library. And after he began to lose his sight, Fred utilized the Austin Public Library’s Talking Book Program for the visually impaired to continue to “read”.

  In honor of Fred Williams, Jr.’s love of reading, donations can be made to the Weatherford Public Library in his name.

  Fred is survived by three children, Diana Hays, Wayne Williams and Judy, Karen Henckell and Ted; and six grandchildren, Wendi Kruger and Mike, Wade Williams and Rebecca, Eren Hays and Matt Beller, Ryan Hays and Christina of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Travis Henckell, and Trenton Henckell and Brenda of Monument, Colorado; and nephew, Jeff Martin and Nancy of Danville, Indiana. Mr. Williams is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and one in the hangar.