David G. Williams, 80

LEE, Mass. — David G. Williams passed away on Sunday, November 26, 2017, at Berkshire Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.

Dave was born at home in South Lee, to Florence K. (Elsensohn) Williams and Heamon S. Williams on May 10, 1937. He attended South Lee and Lee Schools through the eighth grade, when he stopped his formal education in order to help support his family by joining his father’s logging business. He was a member of VFW Post 893 and served in the US Marines from 1956-1958, leaving with an honorable discharge.

On July 26, 1960, he married Judith Mange. They went on to raise three daughters, remaining in South Lee. 

In 1961, he went to work for the Lee Highway Department, retiring in 1992. He was caretaker / groundskeeper for the Crosby estate in Tyringham and continued there for the Knowles family, working until this past October.

Dave was a man of few words, but what he did say was meaningful. His hobbies were what others would consider work, up keep to have the perfect lawn, gardening, cutting and splitting wood and perfectly grilling a steak.

He was Dad to Kathy Lane of Lenox, Lisa Trase (Kirby) of Suffield, Conn., and Pam Ferris (Walt) of Becket. And he was Pop Pop to Kate Chapman (Scott Snyder), Michael and Dan Lane, Samantha and Corey Trase and to his great-granddaughter Iris Snyder.

He is survived by his wife Judy of South Lee, a sister Elizabeth Capitanio and a brother Joseph Williams, both of Lee, along with numerous nieces and nephews throughout the county.

He is predeceased by his parents and brothers Heamon, Walter, Carl, Robert and his identical twin, Donnie. He is also predeceased by a great-granddaughter, Charlotte Snyder.

Dave’s family would like to give a special thanks to his nephew, Heamon, who became like a son in the past few years, David Renner, the staff on 5 West and the boys at Tri-Town Paving for getting him unstuck at least two times a year.

Funeral notice: A Graveside Service for David Williams will be on Wednesday morning, November 29, 2017, at 11 a.m. at Fairmount Cemetery in Lee with the Rev Michael Tuck of St. Helena’s Chapel in Lenox officiating. Visiting Hours will be on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Kelly Funeral Home in Lee. 

Friends wishing may make donations in his memory to the South Lee Fire Company or Hospice Care in the Berkshires in c/o the Kelly Funeral Home 3 Main Street Lee, MA 01238.