James Lamar Williams

James Lamar Williams peacefully passed away on August 22, 2025. He was born on January 23, 1936 in Amite, LA and grew up in Baton Rouge, LA where he graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1954. After graduating from Louisiana State University (LSU) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology in 1959, Lamar was accepted into the U.S. Navy, where he attended Officer Candidate School. After a few years in active duty, Lamar transitioned to the Naval Reserve and began a career in the oil and gas industry as a geophysicist for Humble Oil/Exxon. He retired from Exxon and the U.S. Navy (as a Commander) in 1994 and 1996, respectively.

Lamar was married to Marinell (Watts) Williams for 59 years, living in a variety of locations including Pacific Beach WA, Ventura CA, Roswell NM, Midland TX, Sydney Australia, and Houston TX. He was an active member of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston TX and enjoyed various hobbies including Little League Baseball umpiring, wedding videography, traveling, and watching Houston Astros baseball.

He is preceded in death by his wife Marinell (Watts) Williams, sisters M. Barbara (Williams) Woolston and H. Catherine (Williams) Young, parents Omer O. and Nona E. (Anthony) Williams, and grandson Eric H. Abel. Key family survivors include son Jeffrey L. Williams of The Woodlands, TX, daughter Deborah J. (Williams) Abel and son-in-law Don W. Abel of Hewitt, TX, and grandson Matthew E. Abel of Nashville, TN.

Open visitation is on Friday, September 12, 2025 from 5-8 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home (13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77079). A public funeral service is on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 9 a.m. in the Texas Liberty Mausoleum's Robert L. Waltrip Memorial Chapel located at Memorial Oaks Cemetery (13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77079). The memorial service is on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. in Tallowood Baptist Church's chapel (555 Tallowood Rd., Houston, TX 77024).

Pallbearers will include Jeff Williams, Don Abel, Matthew Abel, Trey Young, John Dodge, Tim Mavergeorge, Jim Meyerhoff, and Phil Hopper.