Sunday morning, August 11, 2019, Sluggo went home to his Lord, peacefully in his sleep at home in Spring, TX after a two year battle with cancer Joe is 78 years old, born November 12, 1940, the Son of Joe Bart (Cotton) Williams and Marjorie Florence Davies. Joe was a native Houstonian, born in the original St. Joseph Hospital in Houston.
April 20, 1963, Sluggo and Kathy Gene McClain were married and spent the next 56 years together. After going to school and spending three years in the US Army and taking time to return to normal, Bart Edward Williams was born February 4, 1972. Having a child brought a move from West University to Katy. Then Alex Boyd Williams was born October 10, 1975. The next thirty-two years were spent taking the boys to baseball, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Forever on the go with Bart in the choir and, Alex in the band, somehow time was found time to follow one of his favorite activity of Scottish Highland Games.
In 1984 Joe (Sluggo) wrote to Lord Kilmarnock to request permission to form a Scottish clan in the USA. Lord Kilmarnock granted permission provided it be a House vs. a Scottish Clan. So typical of Sluggo, he got to work, and within two years, the organization was formally declared and, within another two years it went international. This “hobby” led to another passion that touched the families and history of many generations in Calhoun, Matagorda, Lavaca, Brazoria, and Harris Counties as he helped people located burial sites, clean up cemeteries and document for the Federal Historial Cemetery designation.
After retirement from the business world, Sluggo needed something to do so he started driving a school bus for Katy ISD. Joe loved the kids, and they loved him. We had more fresh eggs and honey than we could use. I believe the girl's drill team (the Fru Fru girls as he called them) were his favorite. Then came a full retirement and a move to Palacios. But he could not give up driving a school bus. So it was back to work for Palacios ISD, and then to Calhoun ISD. In all, he drove a school bus for 15 years. He always said it was the best job he had because he got free tickets to Texas High School football games!
Joe’s other love and the thing he was most proud of was his work on the Calhoun County Historical Commission, Cemetery Committee. In all, Joe Boyd Williams was instrumental in getting the Federal Historial Cemetery designation for twenty plus cemeteries in Calhoun and Matagorda Counties.
Joe (Sluggo), attended Queen of Peace Catholic Grade School and St. Thomas Catholic High School, where he graduated in May 1959. Later he would attend South Texas Junior College and Texas A&M College.
Joe is predeceased by his sister, Eleanor Ann Williams Paul; parents Joe Bart Williams and Marjorie Davies Williams.
Joe (Sluggo) Williams is survived by his wife, Kathy McClain Williams, of Spring, Tx; son Bart Edward Williams and wife Colleen Stone Williams of Spring, TX; son Alex Boyd Williams and wife Melanie Griner Williams, and grandchildren Alexandria Elizabeth Williams, age 14, and Luke Stafford Williams, age 11. All of Cumming, GA; Nieces, JoBeth Paul of Austin, TX; Lauren Leigh Paul of Tomball, Tx and Marjorie Marion Paul of Houston, TX.
Visitation with the family will be Friday, August 16, 2019 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm in the Stateroom at Earthman Funeral Directors, 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024. Funeral service will be officiated by Fr. Stan Gerber on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 12:00 pm at St. Timothy Anglican Church, 6819 Louetta Road, Spring, Texas 77379 with a reception immediately following. The committal service will be at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.
