Russell R. Williams

Russell was the son of William Howard and Nettie Lipscomb Williams. He was born in Lost Creek, West Virginia April 11, 1926.

Russ was a graduate of Gambier High School in Gambier, Ohio Class of 1944. Upon graduating, he put himself through Kenyon College earning a BS and then joined the Army and served in the Medical Corp. in the Korean War.

He met his late wife Carol Garber, the love of his life, and they married October 17, 1953. Russell worked through his Master’s Degree and PhD in Parasitology and Entomology from Ohio State University at the same time he was navigating his way through fatherhood. Russell and Carol had three children during this time. Dr. Williams was the foremost Bat Parasitologist in the Eastern US for many years and he discovered a new species of parasite and named it Aganthatrium, he wrote about it in his doctoral thesis.

In 1962, he moved his young family to Waynesburg, PA to become a professor of Biology and Zoology, and was greatly admired by all he taught.

He is survived by his three children, Russell Dean Williams (Katherine), Huntington WVA., David Williams, Waynesburg and Susan Williams Stoy (Ken Aul) Washington; his granddaughter, Catherine (Jason) DeMarco; step grandchildren, Sarah and Phillip Bailey; and his older sister, Frances Curtis of Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Russell was an amateur artist and loved drawing, painting and photography. He enjoyed fishing and golf with his friends. He was an avid gardener, everyone loved admiring his flowers, and enjoying the fruits of his labor. When he wasn’t gardening in the winter months he was bowling. He bowled with several leagues over the years up until 2019. One of his favorite past times for many years was playing a convincing Santa Claus to his wife’s Carol’s Mrs. Claus. He was a kind and soft-spoken man, known to throw out the occasional witty remark. He will always be remembered and greatly cherished by all of those who loved him.