Walter Williams Jr., 88, of Kake, died Oct. 8, 2013, at SEARHC-Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital in Sitka.
Services will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Salvation Army church in Sitka.
Walter was born in Wrangell on Jan. 20, 1925, to Ellen and Walter Williams Sr. He was raised by his grandparents, David and Alice Stuteen, from the time he was a toddler.
Walter served his country in the Army National Guard from 1952 to 1955 as a rifleman, ending his service with an honorable discharge.
On Oct. 30, 1952, he married the love of his life, Harriett Davis. They were married for 61 years. They made their home in Seattle then moved to Kake in 1980, where Walter pastored the Kake Evangelistic Center, sharing his love of the Lord with many in his community.
He loved fishing, hunting, trapping, picking berries, gardening, and putting up traditional foods, particularly dried fish.
He enjoyed watching sports on TV, especially Seattle’s Mariners and Seahawks.
Visitors were always welcomed to their home with a cup of tea, a snack and some good storytelling.
Walter is survived by his wife Harriett, son Garrett “Jay” Williams, and daughters Tamara, Destina and Diana. His grandchildren are Christina Flores of Los Angeles, Eric Williams of Kake, Jesse “Ben” Williams and wife Kareh of Kallamazoo, Mich., Nathan Williams of Sitka, and Bethany Austin of Moses Lake, Wash.
He has four great-grandchildren: Soleigah Ballesteroz, Lucia Williams, Emannual Williams, and Gabriel Friday-Williams; and many other relatives too numerous to mention. He also has two adopted sons: Anthony Gastelum of Kake and Appaloose (Roy) Sundarakumar of Sri Lanka.
Walter loved his children and grandchildren, influencing them even from a distance. Indeed, he was a strong spiritual influence on all he came in contact with, his family said.
He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and community.
Services will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Salvation Army church in Sitka.
