Lyle E. Williams entered his heavenly home from Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019.
He was born on Aug. 30, 1927, in a farmhouse near Page, Neb., to R. Davis Williams and Eva Etta Trowbridge Williams. He was married to Shirley Bosell on Sept. 2, 1951, in the First Baptist Church in Salem, Ore., by the Rev. Lloyd Anderson.
Lyle was a World War II Navy veteran, having served aboard the USS Harwood and honorably discharged in 1946.
He was a graduate of Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, Wash., and Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore Ky. He was an ordained minister in the Free Methodist Church of North America. The family moved from Oregon to Winona Lake in 1960.
Lyle served as editor of Sunday school curriculum for adults at the Free Methodist Publishing House for 31 years. He also taught Sunday school and served in youth programs at the Winona Lake Free Methodist Church.
He loved all sports, having participated in track and basketball. His children all swam at the YMCA and Warsaw High School teams. They knew Dad would be there cheering them on as well as working with the other parents at the meets. Lyle will be dearly missed by all.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 67 years, Shirley A. Williams, North Manchester; son, Dale Williams, Punta Gorda, Fla.; two daughters, Karen (David) Overmyer, Winona Lake, and Diane (Rick) Dobbins, Santa Clara. Also surviving are seven grandchildren: Jessi Williams, Tacoma, Wash.; Jami Williams, Oakland, Calif.; Kristin (Adam) Harp, Warsaw; Kyle (Dianna) Overmyer, Carmel; Kelly (Isaac) Harp, Winona Lake; Laura Ann (Joe) Cobb, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; and Eric (Nicole) Dobbins, Fort Worth, Texas; eight great-grandchildren; sister, Velna Stewart, Ore.; sister-in-law, Altha Lou Bosell, Washington; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers-in-law, Roland Stewart and David Bosell.
Private burial will take place at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Ave., Winona Lake, and officiated by Pastor Rick Nier.
*****
Memorials to Winona Lake Free Methodist Church, 902 College Ave., Winona Lake, IN 46590; Peabody Home Foundation "Caring Circle," 400 W. Seventh St., North Manchester, IN 46962-1199; or to Great Lakes Caring - Hospice, 7030 Pointe Inverness Way, Ste. 230, Fort Wayne, IN 46804.
