Richard Williams
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LTC Richard Lucas Williams, US Army (Ret)
Richard Lucas Williams, son of Mac D. and Kathryn L. (Lucas) Williams, was born September 4,
1934 in Kirkersville, Ohio. He passed away peacefully on November 8, 2021 at the age of 87 at the
Pannill Health Care Center at Sunnyside Retirement Community in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Mr. Williams was a graduate of Athens High School (1952) and Ohio University (1956), both in
Athens, Ohio. He was the cadet colonel of his ROTC program and upon graduation received a
regular commission in the U.S. Army. In Newark, Ohio in 1958, he married the love of his life,
Donna DeVoe.
He was a decorated U.S. Army Infantry officer, Senior Parachutist, Senior Army Aviator, and
Comptroller. He flew both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters and served in Korea and Vietnam.
From 1973 through 1975, Mr. Williams was assigned to the Executive Office of the President to
work with Federal Drug Management in the Office of Management and Budget. He was then
assigned to work with the House and Senate Budget Committees.
He retired from military service in 1977 as a Lieutenant Colonel with 21 years of service. After his
retirement from the Army, he was appointed by the President to the White House Office of Drug
Abuse Policy and served as a Senior Advisor to the President under Presidents Carter, Reagan, and
Bush Sr. He retired from the Civil Service in 1989, but continued to serve as a consultant to the
White House Office of Policy Development and the Council of Economic Advisers for another four
years.
Mr. Williams was active in his community and church. Before coming to Harrisonburg, he was a
member of Washington Farm United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Virginia. He taught Sunday
School classes and led Bible studies for over 40 years.
In 2008, Mr. Williams moved to Sunnyside Retirement Community in Harrisonburg, Virginia and
joined First Presbyterian Church. Shortly after that, an accident left him paralyzed from the chest
down. Even confined to a wheelchair in the nursing care facility, he cheerfully continued to serve
the Lord and his community. He was part of the resident council for Sunnyside's Health Care center
and enjoyed teaching residents about computer technology, meeting with "The Buzzards," a group of
fellow former pilots, and assisting with nurses' training classes as they learned how to care for
quadriplegic patients. He was grateful to the staff at Sunnyside for their years of excellent nursing
care and their company. He was also grateful for the exemplary care of Dr. John A. Witman.
Mr. Williams is survived by his wife of 63 years, Donna (DeVoe) Williams of Harrisonburg, his
daughter and son-in-law Kathryn and Jeff Peters of Haymarket, his granddaughter Elizabeth Peters
of Charlottesville, his sister Cheryl Williams of The Plains, Ohio, his brother Jon (Liz) Williams of
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, his brother-in-law Frank (Sue) DeVoe of Heath, Ohio, and several nieces
and nephews and their children. He was predeceased by his parents and by a brother, Larry Joe
Williams.
There will be a memorial service at the Meredith Chapel at Sunnyside on Friday November 19, 2021
at 2:00p.m., with interment to follow at a later date. For those unable to attend, the service will be
live streamed at https://boxcast.tv/view/richard-williams-memorial-service-780368. In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to the Sunnyside Communities Fellowship Fund, 600 University
Blvd., Suite L, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 or to a church or charity of the donor's choice.
Condolences may be shared at kygers.com