Obituary of Winfred Merrill Williams

Winfred (Wimpy) Merrill Williams was born in Century, Florida, April 8, 1936 and died in Pensacola, Florida, February 11, 2019 at the age of 82. Wimpy was the 7th of 8 children born to Ethel P. Sawyer and Roy Williams, Sr. Wimpy lived in Century till the age of 12 when his family moved to Pensacola. He lost his dad at the age of 14, so he worked at a grocery store during high school. He graduated from Pensacola High School in 1955. After high school, he worked at a TV repair shop and owned his own ambulance service. He started at the Naval Air Station in 1957. He also served in the Florida Army National Guard from 1960 to 1963. He worked his way up at NAS to become an aircraft mechanic and a Planner and Estimator for the repair of aircraft. This last position allowed him to travel, which he really enjoyed. He was heavily involved in NAS softball, and he ran the Civilian Welfare and Recreation Association (CWRA) long-term. He retired from NAS in 1993 with 36 years of civil service. He had several business endeavors throughout his retirement years including a deli, a lawn service, and a firewood business. He enjoyed Pensacola hockey and baseball, and recycling metal. He spent a great deal of time with his grandson, Benjamin, and often involved him in many of his activities. Throughout the last 30 years of his life, he suffered many health challenges that included heart, lung, and kidney disease. Wimpy had an unusual inner strength, supported by his family, that enabled him to continue with life. In more recent years, health issues curbed his activity, but he continued to do as much physically as he possibly could. He did enjoy reading the paper, doing the puzzles in the paper, and online games and puzzles. He is survived by his wife, Jaunita; his children, Carol Stratmeyer (Neil), Dale Williams (Lisa), and Kristy Lopez; and his grandson, Benjamin. He also leaves behind a granddaughter and great-grandson of the heart, Megan and Jameson Wallace. He has two surviving siblings, Carmie Coffield of Pensacola, FL, and Darrell Williams of Macon, GA, and numerous nieces and nephews.