Robert Alexander Williams

Robert Alexander Williams was born on November 5, 1930, in Washington, Pennsylvania. He had a very full and well-lived life. Bob was a brilliant man who was genuinely kind and extremely generous to everyone he met. He died on November 18, 2022, at the age of ninety-two.

As a man, husband, father, grandfather and friend, he was boundless in his energy of drive and compassion. To those who knew him well he was affectionately known as Bob, Dad, Thumper, Boombob, or Mr. Bob. He is survived by his wife of sixty-two years, Barbara Williams, whom he

met on a blind date and married four months later, his son and best friend Bill Williams and wife Kendall, his daughter Beth Penton and husband Howard, and his granddaughters whom he loved deeply Emilia, Ava, Alexanne and Emily Elizabeth. With his mother’s death at the age of five, Bob was raised by his mother’s sister, Sarah Clouston. She was his “Aunt Sally” and he loved her dearly. He spent his time working and

hunting on the Clouston family farm in West Virginia where he would spend endless days enjoying the outdoors and doing farm chores like milking cows and feeding livestock. He spoke often of growing up on this farm with many fond memories. Bob attended Washington and Jefferson College at the age of sixteen and upon graduation went on to Penn State University for graduate studies in Physics. After college, he joined the US

Navy as a Lieutenant and worked for the Bureau of Ordinance, as well as serving on the destroyer USS Tweety. After the navy, he held technical and research positions at Monsanto Chemical and Burlington Industries.

Upon his retirement from Burlington, he and his son, Bill, began their new venture of Walex Products Company. Dad invented the products and Bill sold them. They started the company in Mom’s kitchen and made their first products in the garage. It was the start of a long and

successful business venture that now sees their products sold and used all over the world. Bob drove to the office every day until the age of eighty-eight and was always the first one there to turn on the lights. His amazing friends at Walex are his extended family, and he genuinely

loved and cared for everyone there. He especially enjoyed going to lunch with the guys and having a few good laughs over a glass of wine.

Dad was a faithful Christian man who served as a founding member and elder at Jamestown Presbyterian Church in Jamestown, NC. He was an active member of Little Chapel on the Boardwalk at Wrightsville Beach, NC.

He saw the potential in everyone he met, and he loved helping and seeing those around him succeed. He was a friend to all, loving, kind and humble. A man with an incredibly big heart and great sense of humor. Always wanting to be involved in the fun.

He will forever be in our hearts and will be remembered every day by how he enriched us with love, generosity, kindness, support and strength. Thank you for being one of the good guys.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, November 22, at the Little Chapel on the Boardwalk, 2 West Fayetteville St, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480.  

A Reception will follow immediately afterwards at The Country Club of Landfall, Dye Clubhouse, on Landfall Drive.

Please consider making a donation to the Parkinson's Foundation in his name.