SIOUX CITY -- John F. Williams, 87, of Sioux City died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008, at his residence under Hospice care.
Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Wesley United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Laurice Streyffeler, former pastor, officiating, and the Rev. Merrill Muller, pastor, assisting. Burial will be in Liberty-Perry Cemetery on Granite Avenue west of Hinton, Iowa, with military rites conducted by American Legion Duane M. Nelson Post 1981, assisted by American Legion Post 307 of South Sioux City. The Northwest Iowa American Legion Riders Post 241 of Le Mars, Iowa, will escort to the cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a 7 p.m. prayer service, at Larkin Northside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes Inc. Online condolences may be sent to
www.christysmith.com
.
John was born Sept. 15, 1921, in Plymouth County, Iowa, to Earl and Laura (Smith) Williams. He graduated from Central High School in Sioux City in 1940. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1946 in the Pacific Theater during World War II and achieved the rank of staff sergeant.
He married Joyce E. Andrews on June 11, 1949, in Sioux City. John lived most of his life in the Sioux City surrounding area. He started farming after returning from the service and had been operating his present farm since 1959. He also worked for Swift & Co. for 10 years, when he was first getting started. John was semi-retired.
He was a member of American Legion Duane M. Nelson Post 1981. He also attended a number of the 315th Bomb Wing Group Reunions. He was able to participate in the Honor Flight from Sioux City to Washington, D.C., in September 2008. He was also a member of the Farm Bureau. He was a Methodist. John enjoyed finishing and the outdoors. He also liked to watch his grandchildren's sports events. In his younger years, he did custom baling for other farmers.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce E. Williams of Sioux City; two sons, Steven Williams of Sioux City, and Mark Williams and his wife, Lori of Lawton, Iowa; two daughters, Patricia Ferguson and her husband, Stephen of Omaha, Neb., and Dorothy Tevis and her husband, Joe of Minneapolis, Minn.; nine grandchildren, Jamey, Angie, Lee and Brooke Williams, Laura and Lindsay Ferguson, Luke, Marcus and Mallory Tevis; four brothers, Howard Williams of South Sioux City, Richard Williams of Merrill, Iowa, Paul Williams of Hinton, Iowa, and Gary Williams of Akron, Iowa; and two sisters, Jean Woodruff and Doris Williams, both of California.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers.
Pallbearers will be his nephews, Scott, Doug, Matt, Larry, Dean and Donnie Williams.