Earl Williams

Born in Dalhousie on November 13, 1932, son of the late George Williams Sr. and the late Martina (Monzello) Williams.

He worked as a millwright for 40 years until his retirement in 1991.

He is survived by his son Nevin, his grandchildren, Brodi and Adelyn, and many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents he was predeceased by his wife, Adelaide, two brothers, George Jr. and Linden, his sister Wilma "Billie" Hanley (Bud) of Baturst and son Ricki.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no funeral services are planned.

Earl was a very generous man to his friends, family, and community. When his nieces and nephews were young, he would frequently treat them with hockey and baseball cards, sweets, sports equipment and clothing, and countless other little gifts. This tradition of generosity would continue when his sons came along, and again later with his grandkids, Brodi and Adelyn.

He would always find time to take his nephews, sons, and grandkids —some surrogate— to the ball field, rink, shooting range, or gym to help hone their techniques in their sports of choice.

While he worked for International Paper as a millwright, Earl not only spent countless hours in Minor Ball and Hockey coaching and instructing, he also volunteered time coaching Intermediate Baseball with the Dalhousie Dodgers, the Point La Nim Arrows, and the Eel River Crossing Juvenile and Intermediate teams. According to entries in his National Coaching Certification Passport, from 1961 - 1989, there is but a one year gap in baseball coaching, which corresponds to his eldest son’s adoption in 1971, which he more than made up for with double duty, coaching both minor and intermediate leagues in the same season: In just 28 years between ’61 and ’89, he had 43 baseball coaching entries listed.

His commitment lead to three Provincial Championships and an Atlantic Juvenile Championship. In 1985, he was awarded “Coach of the Year” by Baseball New Brunswick. In 1987, he received the Ralph Hachey Memorial Award, for his contributions to the Dalhousie Minor Hockey Association.

After his retirement after 40 years at “The Mill” in 1991, he would go on to be:

▪ Inducted into the Dalhousie Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 as a Builder.

▪ Inducted into the Baseball New Brunswick Hall of Fame in 1995.

▪ Recognized by the county’s Sports Development Council for outstanding voluntary commitment to baseball in 2004.

▪ Honoured as one of Dalhousie’s “100 People Who Made a Difference” in 2005.

▪ Inducted again into the Dalhousie Sports Hall of Fame as manager of the Beaver “A” Dodgers in 2007.

▪ Named a “Paul Harris Fellow” by the Rotary Foundation in 2012.

From the time of Earl’s presence in everyone’s life, it was clear that he had an unmatched love for baseball and hockey. Earl’s passion for these sports were his motivation to try to ensure the youth in the area would also have an opportunity to learn how to play them, as well as foster a mutual appreciation for the sports as Earl himself had had.

Earl was always first to volunteer to help at tournaments, or any sporting activities that our town would host.

From its inception, Earl had been an active volunteer in the Dalhousie Pee-Wee Tournament (which would become the Boyce Fitzpatrick Memorial). During its early years, Earl became point for severe weather transportation duties, as he was one of the few folks with a full-size 4WD SUV, who could shuttle out-of-province players to and from their billets to their games on time: The young players were amazed both by the sheer snow accumulation as well as the “Canadian Guy” who could get them anywhere safely during the worst of the storms.

To have played sports in Dalhousie in the last 60 years, one would certainly have known Earl: From conducting clinics, maintaining ball fields, volunteering at the rink, including the 2003 Canada Games, Earl always did what he could to help the youth in our town.

Earl was respected in the Baseball New Brunswick world as well, and would often consult with many of the leading coaches in other parts of the province.

As his years got on, he began to focus less on competitive coaching, instead choosing to help youngsters including his beloved grandson and granddaughter learn baseball fundamentals. He held pre-season clinics for players aged 3 and up, every Saturday morning from April until June for at least the last 15 years, but probably longer. As soon as the ballfields were dry and groomed to his high standards —and he made sure to expedite that with his trusty rake several times a week— he’d move his clinic from the generously donated AQV gymnasium down to a proper ball field, where generations of kids would get their first view of a field from the pitcher’s mound, round the bases on an actual baseball diamond, and while not quite as fun, feel the bracing bite of the East Wind blowing in off the Bay of Chaleur that with which all outdoor athletes in town must learn to deal.

Once school let out, it was Tee-Ball time, where at least twice a week, he’d have evening practices and the occasional exhibition game with the youngsters: Much like as portrayed in the Peanuts comic strip, the weather would have to be quite bad before he’d cancel a practice, and if even just one aspiring young athlete turned up, he’d spend the whole allotted time one-on-one with them.

In addition to handling T-Ball, he would make sure the larger Dodger’s Field was kept in tip-top shape as well: From the moment the snow melted, through to the very end of baseball season, he made sure the batter’s boxes were raked and drained, that the practice screens were mended, that no divots or errant clumps of grass would cause a ‘bad bounce’ on the infield, that the pitchers mound was properly groomed, the rubber swept, and home plate was white and shiny, often performing this maintenance between each inning during Intermediate games. He ensured that the field’s condition was admired by visiting teams, who doubtless wished they too had an Earl-type so dedicated to the care and upkeep to their home fields.

Earl will be greatly missed by folks of all ages, as someone who was a part of their development through their years. Even though he often referred to folks as “Chummy” or “Big Guy”, know that he knew and had a special place in his heart for everyone in his world.

Funeral arrangements are in the care of Maher’s Funeral Home, Dalhousie.

(506)789-1699 or toll free (855) 404-1699 email: [email protected]