Marvin Foster Williams Obituary

Today’s obituary is of my great grand uncle, Marvin Foster Williams, and was featured in the 2/27/1910 edition of the Lancaster Daily Gazette:

Young Man Succumbs to Appendicitis – Death of Foster Williams

Foster Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Williams, died Sunday, February 27th, at his home on East Main street.  Young Williamson was born in April, 1898, and had lived in Lancaster all his life.  He is well known about town and his hosts of friends will sorrow to hear of his death.  About three weeks ago the young man was taken ill with appendicitis and on February 12th was operated upon at his home but the shock was too much for him and his death was the result.

The deceased leaves a mother and father, three brothers and one sister: Grant of Nelsonville, Otis and Ralph of Lancaster, and Mrs. John Mast of Lancaster.

The funeral services will be held Tuesday at the home of his parents at two o’clock, Rev. Hugh Leith and Rev M. M. Rader officiating.  Interment at Elmwood cemetery.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Ralph Scott Williams Sr. (brother of Marvin Foster Williams)

Catharine Milligan (Woodring) Obituary

Today’s obituary is of my 3rd great grandmother, Catharine Milligan (Woodring), and was featured in the 7/28/1915 edition of the Lancaster Daily Eagle:

75 Years Old: Mrs. George Milligan, Well Known in This City, Dies in Oakland.

Mrs. George Milligan, aged 75, died Monday evening at 4 o’clock of urasitic poisoning, at her home in Oakland, Ohio.

She is survived by two sons and three daughters and a sister, Mrs. William Rogers, of this city.

The funeral will be held Wednesday morning at Oakland church and burial will take place in the Stoutsville cemetery. She had visited in Lancaster and was well known here.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits) – Mellie Waits (Milligan) – Catharine Milligan (Woodring)

Today’s obituary is of my great grand aunt, May Waits, and was featured in the 8/14/1948 edition of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

Attack Fatal: Chief Operator of Bell Telephone Dies Unexpectedly

Miss May Waits, 45, chief operator at the Lancaster office of the Ohio Bell Telephone Co., died unexpectedly Friday, 10 p. m. of a heart attack in her home, 712 N. Mt. Pleasant-av.

Miss Waits, widely known in Central Ohio telephone circles, had been with the Ohio Bell here for 28 years. She was a member of the N. C. Kingsbury Chapter of the Telephone Pioneers of American and the Auxillary to Fairfield Post No. 11, American Legion.

Surviving Miss Waits are her mother, Mrs. Mellie Waits of the home, and two sisters: Mrs. Ralph Williams, Columbus, and Mrs. Ernest Miller, Muskegon, Mich.

Her father, Harmon Waits, died last September and an only brother, T-3 Cpl. Charles Waits, serving with a tank corps in World War II, was killed in action in Germany on April 6, 1945.

Funeral services will be held Monday, 2 p. m. at the Ray Wise funeral home with the Rev. Geo. W. Herd, First Methodist Church officiating. Burial is to be made in Maple Grove [Hill] cemetery, Stoutsville. Friends will be received at the funeral home after 7 p. m. today.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (sister of May Waits)

Today’s obituary is of my 2nd great grandmother, Mellie Waits (Milligan), and was featured in the 5/12/1952 edition of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

The death of Mrs. Mellie Waits, 71, widow of Harmon Waits, occurred Sunday, 3 p. m., in Lancaster-Fairfield Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for the past week. She lived at 712 North Mt. Pleasant-av.

Surviving are two daughters: Mrs. Ralph Williams, Columbus, and Mrs. Ernest Miller, Muskegon, Mich.; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mrs. H. A. McCoy, Columbus.

Services will be conducted Wednesday, 2 p. m. in the Ray Wise Funeral Home. The Rev George W. Herd of First Methodist Church is to officiate, and burial will be made in Maple Hill cemetery, Stoutsville. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p. m. today.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits) – Mellie Waits (Milligan)

Hazel Adella Williams Obituary

Today’s obituary is of my great grand aunt, Hazel Adella Williams (Wilson), the wife of Ottis Ray (O. R.) “Doc” Williams (see obituary below), and was featured in the 3/10/1981 edition of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

Mrs. Hazel A. Williams, 83, of 603 E. Sixth Ave., died Monday in Lancaster-Fairfield County Hospital.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star, M. Z. Kreider Chapter 145.

She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. William (Betty) Echstenkamper, Frankfort, Ky.; one son, William Fred Williams, Milton, Ohio; one grandson, William Ray Echstenkamper, Shelbyville, Ky.; one sister, Mrs. William R. (Ruth) Leyshon, Lancaster; one brother, Hiram Wilson, Lancaster; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, O. R. Williams, and one sister, Cassie Frey.

Funeral services will be Thursday, 1:30 p.m., in the chapel of the Frank E. Smith Funeral Home; the Rev. George S. Brown officiating; burial in Elmwood Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home Wednesday, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Ralph Scott Williams Sr. (brother-in-law of Hazel Adella Williams)

Waits Family Portrait

Picture of the Waits family taken approx. 1919-1920 in Ohio.  Pictured (from left to right): *Ralph Scott Williams Sr., Nellie Ruth Waits, William “Bill” Henry Waits, May Belle Waits (Hatch), Elmer Hedges, Grace O. Waits (maiden name unknown), Paul Allen Hedges, Perry Robert Waits, Lydia May Hedges (Waits), Nellie Rowena Hedges, Mellie Waits (Milligan), Charles Richard “Dick” Waits, Florence Waits, Harmon Clay “H. C.” Waits, Mary Louise Waits (Morris), Eli D. Waits, *Sallie Anna Wilcox (Waits), May Waits, Nellie Alberta Waits, Jennie Waits.

* Unconfirmed

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits)

O. R. "Doc" Williams Obituary

Through the kindness and generosity of Charlotte Dittmar, a Lancaster, Ohio resident, I have recently received copies of several obituaries from the local newspapers.  I will try to feature an obituary daily, until they are all posted.

Today’s obituary is of my great grand uncle, Ottis Ray (O. R.) “Doc” Williams, and was featured in the 6/2/1965 edition of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

O. R. ‘Doc’ Williams Dies; Longtime Furniture Dealer

O. R. “Doc” Williams, 71, of 603 E. Sixth Ave. and a longtime furniture and appliance dealer in Lancaster, died Tuesday 5 p.m. in Lancaster-Fairfield County Hospital.

He boasted more than 40 years experience as owner of his own business in various locations in the city starting in 1924 and was also an employee of the former Wiseman and Harpster and Helser stores.

During World War II, Mr. Williams was coordinator of civilian defense. His affliliations included First Methodist Church, U.C.T., Fraternal Order of Police Associates, Sheriffs Assn., Moose Lodge, K. of P. Lodge, Tri-County Sportsmen’s Club,Valley View Golf Club, state and county Democratic clubs. He served as assistant sergeant at arms in the Ohio House of Representatives 1959-1960.

Williams leaves his wife, Hazel; a son, William F. Williams, Tipp City, O.; a daughter, Mrs. William Echstenkamper, Frankfort, Ky.; grandson, William Ray Echstenkamper; a sister, Mrs. Essie Mast, north of Lancaster; a brother, Ralph Williams, Columbus.

Funeral, Friday 10:30 a.m., Frank E. Smith Funeral Home, Rev. George W. Herd officiating; burial Elmwood Cemetery. Friends may call at Smith’s after 7 p.m. today.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Ralph Scott Williams Sr. (brother of Ottis Ray Williams)

Charles Richard Waits and Margaret Anne Phillips Portrait

My research this morning has centered around my great grand uncle, Charles Richard “Dick” Waits.  Dick was born in 1919 in Lancaster, Ohio. He attended Lancaster High School and married Margaret Anne “Peggy” Phillips on 6/16/1941. Dick enlisted with the United States Army on 12/9/1941. He was KIA on 4/6/1945 in Mockmuhl, Germany as a corporal in Company C of the 753rd Tank Battalion. He is buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Avold, France. Dick was 25 years-old when he was killed. The picture above is of Dick and Peggy Waits. I believe his sleeve patch signifies United States Army ground forces. If you look closely, you can see the tank pin on his hat.

Peggy remarried a few years after his death. I have recently contacted her nephew, Paul, niece, Sue, and daughter, Lisa. After I compile all of their contributions, I will post them here. 

This morning, I have sent requests to the American Battle Monuments Commission for a floral arrangement to be placed at his grave marker. They also provide a photo of the marker after placement, along with a lithograph of the cemetery. I will post the picture after I receive it (probably in several weeks.) Chris Bradford, who runs a website dedicated to the 735rd Tank Battalion (Dick’s picture is in the KIA Gallery Two), has requested Dick’s Deceased Persons File on my behalf. The file should include how he died, where he was buried, reburial details, communication with his kin, etc. I hope to receive this in the near future as well.

Thank you to everyone who has helped with my research on this fallen hero.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/ sister of Charles Richard Waits)