William “Bill” Harvey Williams, 87, of Paducah, Kentucky, passed from this life to the next on February 9, 2026. We believe he is now truly at home and rejoicing with his Lord and Savior – a merciful answer to our prayers. Though our hearts ache, we do not grieve without hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)
Bill was a family man in the truest sense: steadfast, devoted, and deeply loving. He lived a life of quiet faithfulness - loving God, cherishing his family, serving his church, and caring for his community. He was a man with big hands, a big heart, and very big shoes to fill (literally!).
Bill studied chemical engineering at the University of Arkansas and remained a loyal Razorbacks fan all his life. He played on his high school football team and never lost his love for the game, enjoying many Saturdays watching football on TV. If you knew Bill, you knew: Go Hogs!
In 1962, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Anna Claire (Meeks) Williams, beginning a lifelong partnership marked by devotion, tenderness, and steady commitment. While living in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Bill worked for Philips Petroleum, and it was there that their two daughters were born. Bill was a devoted husband and father. He rarely raised his voice, but he led with gentle authority.
Bill later began work with Westvaco, where he served for many years and eventually retired as a Senior Research Engineer. His work reflected the kind of man he was: intelligent, dependable, and diligent.
Bill’s faith was not something he “added” to life - it was the foundation of his life. Church was never a duty for him; it was simply the way he lived. He sang in the church choir, served faithfully as a deacon, taught adult Sunday school, participated in hospital visitations, and went on mission trips.
One of the clearest pictures of Bill’s faith was also one of the simplest: he would walk through his neighborhood and pray for the families in the houses he passed. That was Bill - quiet, consistent, and sincere.
Bill loved music and his deep voice often resonated through the house. He sang the old gospel favorites with gusto, including “Shall We Gather at the River,” “When We All Get to Heaven,” and “The Old Rugged Cross.” And if you listened closely, you might have even caught him singing a bit of a Kingston Trio or Tennessee Ernie Ford hit: something like “Tom Dooley” or “Sixteen Tons.”
At home, Bill was the handyman who could fix anything, the faithful barbecuer, the lawn-mower, and the bug-stomper. He served his family in countless ways - without fanfare and without complaint.
Bill was an extraordinary example of a man, husband, father, and grandfather. Those who knew him were privileged to witness a life well lived: a life that was unselfish, a life of faith and faithfulness, a life committed to his Creator, and a life that leaves a godly legacy.
In the words of the Apostle Paul, Bill could truly say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
Bill is survived by his sister, Betty Hardister of Benton, Arkansas; his two daughters, Andrea Williams of Paducah, KY and Jana (Alan) Robinson of Kadoma, Zimbabwe; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Even as we mourn, we celebrate Bill’s life, and we look forward with hope to our reunion with him in the world to come.
Lindsey Funeral Home is honored to serve the Williams family.
