Wallace Reid Williams

Their Story

Wallace Reid Williams was born on October 23, 1928, in Fresno, California, the son of Everett Theodore and Ruby Arvilla Kurry Williams. His father died on September 17, 1966, and his mother died on December 14, 1969.¹

Williams graduated in 1945 from Springdale Consolidated High School in Springdale, Iowa. He continued his education at Tampa University in Florida majoring in psychology. During his time at the university, he was a deacon at the Lutheran Church. Williams then moved to Rock Island, Illinois, to work at the Bell Telephone Company.²

Williams enlisted in the U.S. Army and served from 1946 until his honorable discharge on June 30, 1952.³ He served in Korea where he was severely wounded on October 30, 1950. Williams underwent several operations during the year following his injury.⁴ Private Williams was awarded the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters, Combat Infantry Bravery Medal, South Korean Unit Citation, Korean Service Medal, Overseas Service Medal and a National Defense Service Medal.⁵

Williams married Martha Jane Sanders in Rock Island, Illinois, on January 20, 1956. They divorced on October 26, 1964.⁶ Williams later married Mary Walker on November 20, 1965, in Milan, Illinois.⁷

Williams was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. He enjoyed cheering on the West Branch Bears, where he was known as their “Bullfrog,” watching the Iowa Hawkeyes, fishing, cooking and sightseeing.⁸

Wallace Reid Williams died on January 5, 2003, in West Branch, Iowa. He was survived by his wife, Mary; daughter, Cindy (Jeff) Lukavsky; two sons, Wally (Tara), and Terry (Nikki); eight grandchildren, Brandon, Zach, Logan, Hailey, Victoria, Geoffrey, Isaac and Trevor; two sisters, Delores Leyer, and LaDonna Margulies; aunt, Doris Harper. His brother, Wayne preceded him in death.⁹