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Ted Williams
WILLIAMS, THEODORE C. (Ted or T.C. to his many friends and colleagues), age 90, passed away on July 24 at El Castillo retirement community in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he will be missed by many friends. Ted was born and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following his high school graduation, he attended Michigan Technological University for one quarter and then enlisted in the United States Army, serving in the 10th Mountain Division in WWII. On returning from service in Europe, he enrolled in Civil Engineering at Michigan State University, following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps. While there, he met and married Dora McKibben. He graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering, crediting Dora with getting him through calculus. After graduation he returned to Grand Rapids to work with his father, W.B. Williams, at Williams & Works. Ted became Chairman and, with his brother-in-law Everett Thompson, helped to guide that firm to prominence in consulting engineering, urban planning, and surveying. The firm served clients in the United States and beyond, including in Bermuda. In 1966 he and his family took a year-long working sabbatical to New Zealand, where he assisted the City of Christchurch Drainage Board in establishing an engineering investigations department. He returned to Grand Rapids in 1967 and resumed his leadership of Williams & Works. During his tenure, the firm won two national awards for the most significant engineering projects of the year. After retiring in 1986, he and Dora moved to Santa Fe, where Ted enjoyed skiing at least as many days per year as he was years old, sometimes traveling to South America or New Zealand in the summer to achieve this goal. Not content with recreation alone, Ted maintained an interest in water resources and developed a well-received proposal for increasing water flow in the Santa Fe River. Ted is survived by his wife, Dora, of Santa Fe, NM; his sisters, Harriet of Newtown Square, PA, and Janet (Everett Thompson) of Grand Rapids; a son, Steve, and his wife, Linda, of Grand Rapids; his daughters, Emily (Mark Ewing), of Newton, MA, and Marcia (Greg Ruppel), of Santa Fe, NM. Surviving grandchildren include Perry Williams (Jason) Pursell, Alexander (Alexandra) Williams, Halley Ruppel, Kelsey Ruppel, Hannah Ewing, and Aaron Ewing, and great-grandchildren Nolan and Arabella Pursell. Donations in his memory should be made to the National Dance Institute of New Mexico. Sometimes on the mountain When the snow is deep and dry You may hear me whistling And know I am nearby.
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