David Lee Williams

David (Dave) Lee Williams of Sedalia, MO, passed away on June 5, 2024. Dave was born on March 10, 1943, in Elkhart, IN, the son of Richard and Rubye (Stump) Williams, who both preceded him in death. He is the eldest of three children born to Richard and Rubye: his brother Richard Paul Williams of Granger, IN, who survives, and Sue Ellen (Wiser) Williams of Lexington, KY, who passed away on March 10, 1998, were his younger siblings. Dave was a son, a brother, a husband, a soldier, a father, a step-grandfather, a friend, and a devoted Christian.

Dave graduated from Goshen High School in 1961, where he participated in football, basketball, and track. His favorite "subject" was shop class, and all his life, he enjoyed mechanics, building cars, and tinkering in the garage. After high school, Dave joined the United States Air Force and served his country honorably from 1961 to 1965. His active duty service stationed him at both Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster and Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. While stationed at Whiteman, he met his first wife, Linda (Callis), and married her on December 26, 1965, in Sedalia, MO. From that union, two sons, Darren Lee Williams and his wife, Heather (Gastonia, NC) and Chad Alan Williams (Kansas City, MO), were born.

In August 1992, Dave married his second wife, Joyce Kathleen Smith, and he was married to her until her death on August 29, 2019. From that marriage, Dave had three stepchildren: Debbie Stotlemeyer (Upham), who preceded him in death, Michael Stotlemeyer (Chilicothe, OH), and Gary Smith (St. Peters, MO). Additionally, Dave is survived by three nephews, one niece, and seven step-grandchildren.

Over 40+ years, Dave worked at Mike O'Conner Chevrolet, Olin Conductors/Alcan Cable, Parkhurst Mfg., Ditzfeld Transfer, and Caterpillar. His lifelong love affair with cars was most evident by his being a 48 year and charter member of the West Central Missouri Vintage Auto Club and by owning over 45 cars, including a 1966 Impala Super Sport 427, a custom-built 1929 Model A Ford, a 1955 F-100 Ford Pickup, and two different corvettes. He also enjoyed building 14 Chevrolet high-performance engines in his later years. In addition to cars, his other passions and joys were derived from his family at First Methodist Church, fishing, golfing, line-dancing, the Moose Lodge, playing cards, and traveling.

One of the greatest things in his last four years has been the companionship and love of Kathy Baker. She reignited his zeal for life, and the last four years of his life have been a joy-filled adventure full of laughter, travel, dancing, swimming, new adventures, and love.

Pallbearers include Gaylon Alfrey, Charles (Bill) Chevalier, Keith Daleen, Mike Green, Mike Hart, and Floyd Hatfield, with honorary pallbearers Phil Brown, Bob Hiller, Mike McDermott, and Charles Roberts. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Celebration Center, 1701 W 32nd St, Sedalia, with the Rev. Candace Fowler officiating. The family will receive friends and loved ones for a visitation one hour prior to the service. The body will be cremated and laid to rest at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Higginsville, MO, with full military honors on Thursday, June 13, at 12:00 noon.

The family asks that donations be made to establish an annual memorial car show in Dave's name in c/o Rea Funeral Home.