Robert James Williams

Robert James “Bob” Williams, a long-time resident of Mobile, peacefully passed away on September 22, 2019. He was the son of James M. and Lucille W. Williams, and was born on June 23, 1929, in Clever, Missouri, where he was delivered by his grandfather.

Survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Jacqueline Galloway Williams; brother, David Kendall Williams (Joy); four children, Lisa Williams Clement (Tommy); Cynthia Williams Thompson; Susan Williams Foster (Mark); Mary Williams Martin (Todd); fifteen grandchildren, Tommy Clement (Anne), Mobile, AL; Robert Clement, Nashville, TN; James Clement (Margaret), Mobile, AL; Mathew Thompson, Corey T. Ilesco, Connor Thompson, Amy Thompson, Jacque Thompson of Nashville, TN; Richard Foster, Elizabeth Foster Pieczynski, William Foster of Mobile, AL; Todd Martin IV (Cindy), Mary Angela Griffith (Hunt), Julia Martin, Jacque Martin of Mobile, AL; 16 great-grandchildren, as well as nieces, nephews, and many friends and colleagues throughout his life. For the past 50 years, Bob and his wife Jacque have spent their summers on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where they patiently taught their children and grandchildren how to water ski. Bob was an avid sportsman and enjoyed watching his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren play various sports. He could be seen in the stands cheering them on and giving them support in both victory and defeat.

Bob attended the University of Arkansas on basketball and baseball athletic scholarships, and he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1951. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was a Choir Soloist. He met his wife Jacque at the University of Arkansas and the two were married on September 20, 1952. He attended United States Navy's Officer Candidate School at Naval Station, Newport, Rhode Island, in October of 1952, and served as the Athletic Officer on the Staff of the Amphibious Training Command in Coronado, California, from 1952-1956. During his time in Coronado, Bob organized, coached, participated in, and won the Western Naval Basketball Championship. He signed with the Philadelphia Athletics Baseball Organization (now known as the Oakland A’s) in 1951, 1952 and 1956; and he was a radio and television vocalist with WBT and WBTV in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1956-1958. In September of 1958, Bob and his father-in-law, Jack Galloway, purchased the Mobile Terminix franchise. Bob eventually became Chairman and CEO of Allied-Bruce Terminix Services, Inc., which owned and operated 75 Terminix offices in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Bob sold the company to Terminix International in January of 2001. During his career, he was the first to institute a profit-sharing program with the employees in the pest control industry. He also served as President of both the Terminix National Council and the Alabama State Pest Control Association.

Bob felt called to public service and was active in various civic organizations including: United Way 1985 Annual Drive, Chairman; Mobile Community Foundation, President; Regions Financial Corporation, Board of Directors; Convention and Visitors Corporation, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Mobile College, Honorary Fellow; America’s Junior Miss, Board of Directors and 1985 President; The Mobile Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Board of Directors and President; YMCA of Metropolitan Mobile, Board of Directors and President; Mobile Lions Club, member; Chamber of Commerce of Mobile, Chairman of the Board; Mary B. Austin Parent Teacher Association, President; St. Paul’s School, Board of Directors, member; WHIL, Board of Directors, member; and Westminster Village, Board of Directors, member; and various fund raising drives. Bob also served on the Board of Directors for the Salvation Army, and was awarded the William Booth Award, which is one of the highest honors that may be conferred upon an individual by the Salvation Army. He was also named the Salvation Army’s 2001 Mobilian of the Year. Bob was a longtime member of Dauphin Way Methodist Church, where he served on the Board of Stewards, Chairman; Finance Committee; Pastor Parish Committee, and Choir Soloist. He also recorded two albums with his incredible voice “In the Garden” and “Christmas Favorites.”

Services will be held at Dauphin Way Methodist Church on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Dauphin Way Methodist Church or the charity of your choice. The family would like to thank all caregivers for all of the kind services and compassion provided to Bob during the final phase of his life.