Richard Larry Williams

Richard Larry Williams departed this life on March 30, 2025 in Provo, Utah, due to heart complications. He was born October 23, 1935 in Rock Springs, Wyoming to Hugh Callahan Williams and Elizabeth Lindsay. Larry grew up in Rock Springs, spending summers in Bennington, Idaho with his Lindsay grandparents working on their farm–herding sheep, cutting and stacking hay, and picking raspberries along with his younger siblings Sherie, Glen, David, Marie, Norma, Donna and Tami. During high school, he worked shoveling coal for his father’s coal contract and playing piano in a jazz band.

After high school, Larry attended the University of Wyoming for two years. While working on his older half-brother Evan’s sawmill in the summers, he read the book Jesus the Christ and felt inspired to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was called to Argentina, where he served for two and a half years. Larry then transferred to Brigham Young University and roomed with his brother, David. There he met, courted, and married his sweetheart, Lila Jean Carter, for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City temple in June of 1960. Jean is the daughter of Elwood Berlin Carter and MaLinda Ella Newell from Tabiona, Utah.

Soon after his marriage, Larry was drafted into the Army. He served for two years in Baltimore, Maryland, entering the Counter-Intelligence Corps (the precursor of the CIA). In Baltimore, Larry and Jean welcomed their first child, Rebecca Ann. They spent a summer in Tabiona, working and living on Jean’s parents’ ranch, before moving to Ogden, Utah, where Larry taught high school math for one year and they welcomed their second child, David Hugh.

Larry returned to the University of Wyoming, using the remainder of his undergraduate scholarship to complete his master’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics. He then took a job in Colorado Springs at Kaman Sciences as a Research Scientist doing statistical and probability analysis. Larry helped develop a statistical analysis software called the ‘Go Code’ that was used for safety and reliability analysis in many applications, including nuclear missile systems, nuclear power plants, and missile defense systems.

Larry and Jean loved Colorado Springs, where their remaining children were born: Daniel Evan, Nathan Warren, Deborah Ellen, Miriam Jean, Benjamin Owen, Elizabeth Lindsay, John Larry, and Mark Carter. They also welcomed close family friend Kelly Walters into their home. Larry and Jean deeply loved their family, God, and community, and dedicated their lives to raising their children and serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in their community. They also enjoyed the opportunity to serve as mission leaders in the Guatemala City Central Mission from 1996-1999, and deeply cherished their relationships and memories from serving there.

In 2007, after forty-six years of marriage, Jean passed away. Larry married Cathleen Anne Butler in 2009, who was his dear companion until her death in 2023.

Larry enjoyed family history work and felt a close kinship to his ancestors. He loved writing many life histories of family members and loved ones. He also loved being outdoors and spent time fishing, hunting, and gardening. Larry was driven, hard-working, intelligent, dedicated, and musical. He developed a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and worked to strengthen it throughout his life. Larry dedicated significant time to serving in the Church as a pianist, choir member, and home teacher, and held many leadership roles including Bishop of the Colorado Springs 3rd Ward, Stake President of the Colorado Springs North Stake, Regional Representative, and Patriarch. He cherished the interactions and relationships developed from his lifelong service to God and others.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Jean; five older half-siblings–Alice Ann (Rodney Butler McLennan), Evan George (Jane Rose Hodson), Hugh Earnest (Lois Irene Powell), Robert Charles (Adele Arlene Guffey), and Edith Louise (Gerald Wayne Stout); three younger siblings–Edward Glen (Carol McNiven), David Warren, and Suzan Tamari (Jimmy Kunz); his granddaughter, Sarah Annie Williams; and his second wife, Cathleen Anne Butler.

He is survived by his sisters–Sherie (Robert Baldridge), Elizabeth Marie (Hank Rinquest), Norma Kay (Dennis McNiven), and Donna Carol (Mike O’Leary); his children–Rebecca (Gary Frazier), David (Lorene Brown), Daniel (Evangelina “Sissy” Guerrero Murillo), Nathan (Renee Nelson), Deborah, Miriam (Michael Stay), Benjamin (Emily Breinholt), Elizabeth, John (Debra Coleman) and Mark (Janel Wilson); 43 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be held Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 10:00 am at the LDS Chapel, 610 West 100 South Lindon, Utah, with a viewing that morning from 8:30-9:30 am. An additional viewing will be held on Friday, April 11, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Olpin Mortuary, 494 South 300 East, Pleasant Grove, Utah. A Remembrance Gathering will be held Monday, April 14, 2025 from 10:00-11:00 am at Swan-Law Funeral Directors, 501 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a graveside service to follow at 11:30 am at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, Colorado.