On October 26, 2020, Doug Williams, loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, passed away at the age of 76. Doug was born on July 28, 1944 to Henry Douglas Lloyd Williams and Beth (LeBar) Williams in Trenton, Michigan. Doug grew up in Caro, Michigan, where he read the encyclopedia from A to Z numerous times, built a number of engineering projects including a Bessemer converter, and spent untold hours exploring the woods with his brothers. He served honorably in the Navy during the Vietnam War, earning a National Defense Service Medal.
After completing his Bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, he earned a Master’s degree in Zoology from the University of British Columbia, and then spent many years working in the Technology and Healthcare fields, including 13 years as a nurse.
On June 16, 1972, he married Nancy Jeanne McCarthy. Together, they raised a daughter, Emily, in Seattle; in their retirement, they discovered their passion for horseback riding and later moved to Bothell to be closer to their equestrian community.
Throughout his life, Doug had great enthusiasm for nature and the outdoors, and spent more than a decade enjoying summers as a volunteer with the University of Washington’s Herbarium Foray, collecting plant specimens from the greater Pacific Northwest for inclusion in the University’s permanent collection. On leisurely walks with his wife, daughter and her family, he was regularly known to stop to inspect, gather and sample local flora and fauna, as well as identify birds native to the region.
He was an avid reader throughout his life, and enjoyed spending his time learning about subjects as diverse as evolutionary theory, astrophysics, and engineering. Friends knew him for his gentle, kind and peaceful spirit, his immense knowledge of the natural world, and his genuine love and warmth for all.
Doug is survived by his wife Nancy and daughter Emily Grossman, her husband Seth and their two grandchildren Jake and Spencer, as well as his brothers Tim, David, and John and his sisters Beth, Nora and Mary. He was pre-deceased by his parents and a sister, Nancy Williams Hand.
Doug was a wonderful kind man who will be missed by all who knew him.
A celebration of life is planned for the warmer weather of 2021; in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance or Evergreen Health Hospice Care.
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