Michael Williams

Michael James Williams (Mike or Senior as he's known), 71 of San Jacinto, California passed away on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, at Loma Linda University Medical Center - Loma Linda , California . He was born on Tuesday, November 30, 1948 to the late James (Jim) and Margaret Williams. He was married to the love of his life, Sheri Williams for 53 years. Surviving is his wife, Sheri Williams; son Mike Williams II ( Wife: Chris ); daughter, Tracy Bilello ( Husband: Tom ); sisters, Kathee Richards and Sybil Kirshmer and grandchildren Jack, Mia, Lauren, and Hailey.

He started life in Kansas City, Kansas, but shortly thereafter moved to California. His childhood and early adolescence was a happy one, filled with family times and a father that taught him about fishing (although it never really took), shooting, hunting, the importance of reading and a mother that was a great cook. His high school years were spent with friends, loving music, working on cars and drag racing. His first car was a Buick Skylark that he raced at Orange County Int. Dragway. He didn't like the fact that it was an automatic, so he converted it to a stick shift (much to his Dad's she-grin). It was during this time he met his wife Sheri in 1965. He graduated from Magnolia High School, in Anaheim in 1966. It was a short courtship between him and Sheri as they were meant to be, so they married in February 1967. The next year came with drywall/construction work for him and the birth of their first child, a girl named Tracy. Hard work and life ensued for the next couple of years where the purchase of a new factory special ordered Mustang Mach 1, Spot the dog and their first home came to light in 1969. Mike continued his love of racing with his new Mustang but a new passion for off roading was soon to be realized. Mike's father Jim purchased a new 1969 Jeep CJ5. After the Jeeps first few maiden voyages together with his Dad, Mike decided he needed a Jeep of his own, and bought the CJ5 from his Dad. This new love of off roading spread fast in the family with Mike's Dad Jim buying a Jeepster Commando and his father in law Norlan (wife, Bert) purchasing a Bronco. Along with that a membership into an Orange County Four Wheel Drive Club named the Square Wheelers came next. Many life long friends and relationships came from this group. Another thing that came from this association was a new sport of sand drag racing. Whether it was camping with the Jeep club, family, or racing the sand drags, this was the how Mike mostly loved to spend his time. Then in October 1971 his son Michael was born. Life at that point was pretty normal, work, camping, racing and the like. Some of that slowed when Michael started in sports about age 5 and Sheri (his wife) started her career in business ownership as a dance studio owner/teacher and daughter Tracy flourished with her own dancing skills. As with most of us more life ensued not perfect life but life, a few housing moves, Brandy the dog, birthdays, graduations, his children's milestones, their marriages and the births of his grandchildren filled the years to retirement. All his grandchildren where the apple of his eye. In retirement he and Sheri moved to San Jacinto, CA. He made lots more friends there and spent many an afternoon with "the boys". He spent the rest of his life pursuing his off roading in the sand dunes, rocks, trails and sand drag racing. He purchased another Jeep (White Lightning) exclusively for sand drag racing that became his final love and greatest hobby. He raced it as often as he could, took the greatest care of it and got to race side by side with his son who also races. Together he and Sheri had established great relationships with many people from the races and Mike often refereed to them as their race family. He spent his life loving his wife Sheri, they were dedicated to one another and never left each others side for better or worse (even in his death). Though his passing was sudden, all that know him will understand that he died as he lived, on his own terms.

In lieu of services, online condolences may be made to the family at http://www.miller-jones.com