John Arthur Williams, 74, of Granville passed away on Aug. 8, 2009, at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a long illness.
He was born on March 30, 1935, in South Granville, the son of Floyd “Peanuts” and Jennie (Monroe) Williams.
Jack graduated from Granville High School. He later in life attended Adirondack Community College, graduating with an associate’s degree with his daughter as the first father/daughter to graduate at the same time.
He was united in marriage to Judith Caruso and recently celebrated their 48 wedding anniversary.
Jack enlisted into the military, serving in all four branches of service in the Korean War and Vietnam and retiring as a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.
After returning to Granville, Jack was employed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department as a deputy, retiring as a sergeant.
Jack was a member of the American Legion Post 323 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1653 of Granville and a member of the Hook & Ladder Fire Company of Granville.
He loved to paint, carve wood, ceramics and making knives.
Survivors include his wife, Judith Williams of Granville; his two sons, Kevin Williams and his friend, Jennifer Blackwell, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Stephen Williams and his wife, Christine, of Clovis, N.M.; one daughter, Stacey Mead and her friend, Thomas Walsh, of Granville; brothers-in-law, Frank Caruso of Granville, and John Caruso and his wife, Leah, of Hamburg, N.Y.; two granddaughters, Bailey and Jesslyn Mead of Granville; one uncle, Cal Williams of Essex Junction, Vt.; and two nephews, Jordan and Anthony Caruso of Hamburg, N.Y.
Services were conducted at on Friday, Aug. 14, at the Robert M. King Funeral Home, 23 Church St., Granville, with Father Thomas Zelker, pastor of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church of Granville, officiating. Burial followed at the Gerald B.H. Solomon National Cemetery in Schuylerville.
Calling hours were held Aug. 13 at the funeral home.
The family hosted a celebration of Jack’s life on Saturday, Aug. 15, at Hook & Ladder Fire Company on Quaker Street.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made in Jack’s name to the Granville Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 153, Granville, N.Y., or to a charity of one’s choice.
