William H. Williams

Birth: September 17, 1931 | Died: February 18, 2022

On Friday, February 18th, 2022, William Houston Williams, devoted husband and father, brother, and friend, passed away with his beloved family at his side at age 90, in Victorville, California. Bill was born on September 17th, 1931, in Paris, Texas to William and Clara May Williams. He was the youngest of three and very close with his sisters, Bonnie and Mary. Bill, or “Toby” as his family called him, was an adventurous child - some describing him as a rabble-rouser. He loved to watch military planes fly out of Love Field, where his father worked as a mechanic, sparking his interest in the military and dream of becoming a pilot himself.

Bill entered the United States Marine Corps Reserves in 1947; lying about his birth year on his application so he could enlist at the age of 16. In 1950, he enlisted in the USMC and proudly served our country in the Korean War, achieving the rank of Sergeant and receiving the Korean Service Medal, the UN Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Good Conduct Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. Bill was honorably discharged in 1954, and transitioned into civilian life by starting a family with his former wife, Jacqueline Cozad; having two children, Blake and Tina, and residing in Santa Ana, CA. He continued a life of service with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. While on patrol, he received the nickname “Wild Bill” for being a formidable-looking man that no one wanted to mess with, but always had your back. During his time as a deputy, he was part of the Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol, which provided security to the growing agricultural area of Orange County.

Bill was medically retired from the Sheriff’s Department in 1980, after serving for 24 years. He was deployed to Honduras for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) as a civilian contractor for the Government from 1981 to 1982. After his return to California, he met Barbara, his favorite waitress at Steer n’ Stein. They were married in 1989 and he became a father to her children at age 57. They moved to the High Desert in 1991. Retirement never suited Bill and he continued work in the safety and security field for many years for a multitude of entities in a variety of positions – security for Northrop, McDonnell Douglas, & Boeing, Pinkerton Private Investigator, and Probate Investigator for Riverside County - just to name a few.

Bill had many adventures over his lifetime. He fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot, owning a small Cessna in the 80s. In the early 90s, he traveled with his friend Rock to Honduras to find the “Lost City of Gold.” In 1996, Bill worked with the International Police Task Force, stationed in, Bosnia for 18 months; helping the citizens create much-needed infrastructure after the damage from the Bosnian War. In 2000, he provided security to a Kazakhstan launched satellite, having the opportunity to sign the satellite that orbits over us today.

Over the years, Bill and Barbara were members of various churches in the High Desert, establishing lasting friendships with congregation members. Most recently they attended the Lucerne Valley Community Church where they found their church “family” and continued their ever-evolving relationship with God through the sermons of Pastor Wood.

Bill was very proud of the work he did over the span of his career and the friendships that he built along the way. He remained in close contact with people from every facet of his life; regularly meeting with other Veterans and enjoying breakfast with Retirees from the Sheriff’s Department.

Bill was a man of integrity. He had an unbelievable work ethic and was not one to sit idly by. He never once took life for granted. He was always available for advice on life, a friendly debate, or just good conversation.

Bill’s amazing life will forever be cherished by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife Barbara of 32 years, his son, Blake, and his wife Kathy; his daughter, Tina, and her husband Kirby Allen; and his stepdaughter, Stefanie, and her husband Ryan Bushore. Grandchildren Candice, Jesse, Jacqueline, and Jessica; great-grandchildren Brooke, Austin, Autumn, Blakely, and Jordyn; as well as a host of beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews and his dogs, Mollie, Lali, and Kaiser.

A man of many nicknames and titles, William, Bill, Toby, Wild Bill, Dad, PaPa, Bill Bill, and will always and forever be Barbara’s S.O.B (Sweet Old Bill) - His passing will leave a void in every life he touched. Services will be held on Thursday, March 24 at Hilgenfeld Mortuary (120 E Broadway, Anaheim, CA).

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the High Desert Marines in Bill’s name. Donations can be sent to: High Desert Marines PO Box 3180 Victorville, CA 92393