Charles Williams Obituary

Charles Fain Williams, 73 of Beaufort, SC, passed away on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. A Rite of Christian Burial service will take place at St. Helena's Anglican Church, Saturday, August 9 at 10:00 am. A reception will follow in the Parish House. Charles (Chuck) was born on September 25, 1951, in Savannah, GA, the son of the late Charles Marvin Williams, Jr. and Sarah Ethridge Williams. He married Laura Ann Richardson in February 1997. Chuck's life was one well and fully lived. He loved his Lord, his country, his wife, his work, his church. Ever eager to see new places, solve problems, meet new people. Hs work as a Water and Wastewater consultant took him to far-flung locations and satisfied his love of travel. The traveling also afforded him opportunities to indulge in a favorite hobby of geocaching, which also led him to discoveries in out-of-the way places. With a twinkle in his eye, a quick wit, and a bounce in his step, he was a master of the double entendre, teasing and bringing smiles to the faces of friends and strangers. Chuck grew up in Savannah and Ridgeland and greatly enjoyed his teenage stint as DJ at Ridgeland's WBUG radio station, often heartily recounting the live "Sunday morning parade of gospel quartets" in that station. At age 17 he joined the Army and studied Russian at the Monterey Language School in preparation for his time in Eritrea and Ethiopia, where he both tracked Russian cosmonauts and served as one of the base DJ's at Kagnew Station. His long-held fascination with maps and history, along with ever-seeking adventure and restlessness in college classrooms, spurred his hitchhiking and led to work in the oil fields of Louisiana, Texas, Montana, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia. Between hitchhiking and oil field stints he would return to USC where he studied math, worked again as a DJ at WUSC, and met his wife and companion of 44 years. In college, friends dubbed him "Tics" because of his enjoyment of friendly political debates. Returning to South Carolina in 1985, he worked at Sea Pines, started his own business in 1994, became involved in Toastmasters, and later served as chairman of the SC Libertarian Party, 1998-2004. Chuck loved serving at the Parish Church of St. Helena where he was able to use some of his DJ skills when he served on the AV Sound Team, and to indulge in his love of meeting people when he served as usher. These he considered to be his ministry. Chuck was a man who sought precision, honesty, truth, and had much disdain for falsehood. Always the problem-solver, he found pleasure in whatever he endeavored to do and did it to the best of his ability. He was loved and respected by those he encountered, will be missed by those who knew him, and is now exploring the wonders of Glory Land. Survivors include: his wife: Laura Ann Richardson of Beaufort, sister-in-law Paula Goss of Winston-Salem, NC, cousins Sue and Jim Vensel, and Tom and Mae Conely of Okeechobee, Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to: Preservation Trust for Historic St. Helena's Church, Inc., P. O. Box 2594, Beaufort, SC 29901 Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 Wreaths Across America, 4 Point Street, PO BOX 249 Columbia Falls, ME 04623