Gary Wayne Williams

Gary Wayne Williams, 82, of New Braunfels, passed away on Friday, May 17, 2019 in New Braunfels, Texas following a brief illness. Born on April 29, 1937 in Fort Sill, OK, to the late Arthur Lee Williams and Nora Marie Williams, he grew up in a military family and attended schools in locations across the world including Apache, Oklahoma, middle school in Osaka, Japan and ultimately graduating from Lawton High School in 1955. He also attended Cameron Jr. College in Lawton, Oklahoma and then Oklahoma A&M in 1958. After his retirement from a long and illustrious military career, he furthered his education, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Education from Southwest Texas State University in 1982 and two masters of education degrees in agriculture and special education in 1984. Gary began his military career in 1958, attending flight school in Pensacola, Florida. He was commissioned as a Marine Corps second lieutenant and received his pilot’s wings in March of 1960. His first duty station was Kaneohe, Hawaii where he was honored to meet the seven original Mercury astronauts and be chosen to be on the splash down pick up crew for John Glenn’s first space flight. Over the years, Gary rose up through the ranks as a United States Marine Corps Officer, attaining the rank of Major in 1967. A few of his many accolades include piloting the Marine One helicopter for Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson and surviving two tours of duty in Viet Nam, first flying rescue missions as a helicopter pilot and later performing aerial refueling functions as a C-130 pilot. He also earned numerous medals and commendations, including 17 Air Medals, the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He retired as a C-130 Commander in 1980 but would always be a United States Marine in his heart and soul. Gary decided to take it ‘easy’ in his retirement years teaching agriculture as well as raising Limousine cattle. After five years of dating, he married his beloved wife of 57 years, Roberta Jean Seeley on March 19, 1960 and together they made their homes on military bases in Hawaii, California, Arizona and Virginia while raising their three children before eventually settling in Texas in 1980. With his impressive career as a Marine, it might be easy to overlook the part of his life that was his greatest joy and happiness and that was his role as husband, father and grandfather. He was always making sure his family knew they were loved and cherished. There has never been a more generous man! In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Roberta J. Williams, their son, Michael Robert Williams and his three siblings. Gary is survived by his daughters, Leslie Pentecost (Daniel) and Susan Mitchell (Edgar); grandchildren, 1st Lt. Seeley Pentecost (Becky), Noah Pentecost, Brian Williams, Chloe Dykstra, Matthew Mitchell and Kelly Mitchell, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.