Dr. Charles Otho Williams

Dr. Charles Otho Williams, born in 1940, finally found peace and an end to suffering on September 3, 2023.  Charles was a renaissance man, always restless to explore some new area of expertise.  He was a high school football player, physician, Staff Sergeant in the Air Force Reserve, a pilot (one trip made his future wife vomit on her first small plane flight), a skilled potter and kiln constructor, paintbrush maker, a painter, photographer (he built a dark room and photo processing studio in our house), a self-taught guitar player, a brick mason, engine mechanic, a house builder (thank you, Time-Life book series), SCUBA diver, a model airplane flyer, a world traveler, lay reader with the Episcopal Church of the Creator in Clinton, MS, a fossil hunter and rock hound, fence constructor, antique musket maker, turtle skeleton cleaner (MS Museum of Natural Science), a computer expert, dad-joke teller, a stargazer, wood turner, ham radio builder and advanced ham operator, poodle cherisher, and haiku writer.

Charles was an inspiration to so many; his life was a reminder to have fun, laugh easily, and enjoy life outside of work.  He was a recklessly generous man, and he loved medical mission trips to Honduras.  Most importantly, he was a loving and devoted husband and father – he loved his family more than anything, and when he was leaving for work at 5 am, he never failed to kiss his kids in their sleep as he left, leaving behind a cloud of Old Spice and saying “have a good day.”

He is predeceased by his mother, Lois Inez Johnson Williams Powell, his father, Guy Max Williams, his beloved sister, Jane Marilyn Williams Mathews, his brother, Gerald Max Williams, and his special brother-in-law, Dr. Bob Estess.  He left behind to remember his extraordinary life his ever-lovin’ wife of 58 years, Marti Estess Williams, his challenging but cherished children, Kirsten Williams Schwehm and Guy Michael Williams, and honorary children of his heart, Chris Schwehm, Di Williams, and Mimi Huss.  He loved his flawless grandchildren to distraction: Coby Williams, Olivia Schwehm, Trace Williams, and Lukas Schwehm.  He also leaves to remember him his adopted grandchildren, Sean Huss, Kyle Huss, and Crissie Huss, as well as a host of adoring nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and dearest in-laws, Charlie and Diane Estess, Carolyn Knott, and Debbie Estess.  A memorial service in Clinton, Mississippi, will be planned in the coming months.  To honor Charles’ memory, please consider donating to your local animal shelter or food bank, or the Honduras Medical Mission, a ministry of the Episcopal Church of Mississippi: https://www.dioms.org/ministries/honduras.html