Ronald Jay Williams

Ronald Jay Williams was born on November 4, 1959 in Yakima, WA. His early years were spent going to the Glade School between Mabton and Bickleton, WA. He also loved helping his grandfather, Jack Williams, on the farm as he even started driving truck around the age of seven. He loved his Bickleton roots and they were an important part of who he was. He spent the rest of his school years in Goldendale, WA, graduating from Goldendale High School in 1978. He loved the thrill of playing football, basketball, and competing in track during his high school years.

In 1987, he married Brenda McNair in Boise, ID. They created a blended family of five children as Ron had three children from his first marriage in 1978 to Diane Tuttle of Goldendale.

After high school graduation he pursued the job trade of construction and was proud of his accomplishments. He took what he learned in construction from his dad, Donald Williams, and made a career in commercial construction as an accomplished professional. He worked for many well-known and large commercial construction companies throughout Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and California. Despite not having a college degree, he taught himself all the important things about commercial construction. He was offered jobs in construction project management as well as supervision of multi-million dollar commercial projects such as hospital and research facilities. It was, in fact, his job in Seattle for a Virginia Mason Hospital project that led him back to Virginia Mason for care of his cancer when he was diagnosed in 2018 with pancreatic cancer. Ron boldly contacted one of the most specialized pancreatic surgeons in the U.S. at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, WA, --someone he met very briefly on the job years earlier when he worked in Seattle on the Virginia Mason project. It was there that his battle with cancer began.

Pronounced cancer free, Ron and Brenda moved to Mesa, AZ in 2019 where Ron planned to retire to enjoy his hobbies such as cooking, golfing, refinishing furniture, researching genealogy, and enjoying the sunshine of the southwest. Less than one year later from his lifesaving surgery in 2019, Ron received the news that his cancer had returned. He began to face the same villain and fought valiantly. Ron and Brenda returned to Goldendale in 2020 where he entered hospice after months of chemotherapy at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Ron still never gave up and he would continually post on Facebook always using the hashtag #RonNeverGivesUp. He never gave up. He was valiant to the end. But the story doesn’t end there. He is in heaven with his grandparents and many of the relatives he spoke of so fondly as he researched his family roots and history.

Ronald is survived by his wife Brenda McNair Williams of Goldendale; Children Rebecca Williams of Tacoma, WA, Sara Williams of Whidby Island, WA, Ron Williams Jr. (Jhoy) of Lincoln City, OR, Holly Warren of La Center, WA, and Amy Lee (Jeff) of Boise, ID; parents Don and Barbara Williams of Goldendale, WA.; siblings Rodney Williams (Cheryl) of Port Ludlow, WA, and Beverly Williams Forney (Tim) of Oregon City, OR; granddaughters Kira Harvey, DeAnna Avila, and Natasha Williams. Ronald was preceded in death by an infant sister, Susan Jayne Williams.

Ronald will be laid to rest in Bickleton, WA at the Bickleton IOOF Cemetery. A graveside service for immediate family only will be followed by a memorial service to follow in Spring or Summer of 2021. All donations can be made in the name of Ronald J. Williams to www.pancan.org.  Those wishing to sign Ron's online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com 

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