James Brooks Williams

James Brooks Williams of Pittsboro, North Carolina passed on March 11, 2019 at the age of 97. He was born to Herman Taylor Williams and Mary Tyler Brooks Williams on July 1, 1921, in Shepherdsville KY, the third of their five children, and grew up on the family farm. After graduation from the University of Kentucky with a degree in electrical engineering, he married Juanita Hingst. They moved to New Jersey where he worked for Philco and they raised four daughters.

In 1960, the family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida when Jim became vice-president and general manager of Electronic Communications Inc.  He spent the next 48 years in Florida, enjoying the water, golf, the Rays, hiking, fishing, and many friends.  Jim loved to volunteer, building trails and boardwalks for national and local parks, teaching defensive driving classes for AARP, helping adults learn to read at his local library, and installing Life Alert systems for folks leaving the hospital.  During this time, Juanita’s career as a psychologist, textbook writer, and USF women’s studies professor flourished. They greatly enjoyed their travels and family, which grew to include sons-in-law and grandchildren. Juanita died in 1991. In 2008 he moved to Pittsboro to be near family.

He leaves as his legacy four daughters: Karen Pullen (Mac) of Chapel Hill NC; Anita Cohen (Rick) of Las Vegas NV; Gretchen Williams of Santa Rosa CA; and Laura Williams of Asheville NC. His nine grandchildren include Adrienne Bashista, Heather Connors, Melissa Solum, Finn Pullen, Erin Pullen, Jennifer Enge, Darren Cohen, Mitchell Roost, and Kevin Roost. He also leaves to cherish his memory two sisters, Betty Dawson of Louisville KY and Ann Sharp of Winchester KY, a dear friend, Suzanne Robinson of Pittsboro NC, and an extended family of nieces, nephews, and fifteen great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Juanita, his sister Katherine, and his brother Herman.
 

Jim was intelligent, gentle, interested in the world, devoted to his family, with inner strength and a smile that warmed your heart. He will be missed.

A private family memorial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Florida Trail Association (www.floridatrail.org).