Charles Dudley Williams

Charles Dudley Williams was born on September 4, 1935 and died on his 84^th birthday, September 4, 2019 following a brief illness.

He leaves his loving wife of 62 years, Bonnie (Kemp) Williams; his daughter, Sherry (Williams) Benight; son, Charles Williams and wife Cynthia (Benson) Williams; daughter, Suzanne (Williams) Piskadlo and husband Mark Piskadlo; son Michael Williams; grandchildren Brian Benight and wife Emily (Thomas) Benight, Nicholas Benight and wife Chelsey (Lunt) Benight, Jon Benight and wife Sharron (Schaugaard) Benight, Bailey Suzanne Piskadlo and Logan Marie Piskadlo: 5 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and other loved ones.

Charles was born in Dodge City, Kansas, the son of Helen (Chadd) Williams and John Williams. He was the oldest brother of Larry Williams (deceased) and Joe Williams and wife Diane (Dick) Williams of Wichita, KS.

He was raised in Dodge City and Wichita, Kansas where he attended North High School and graduated from Wichita State University with an undergrad and Masters in Geology. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and ROTC. He met the love of his life and wife, Bonnie, at Wichita State. After her graduation, they moved to Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he was stationed and served the Army as a 2^nd Lieutenant, 1^st Lieutenant and Captain in the Armor division, leading a tank unit. After the birth of Sherry, they moved back to Wichita where he was assigned to the US Army Reserves and started the Special Forces division there. He began his geology career with Aylward Drilling Company while in Wichita and was a geologist for over 60 years working with Skelly Oil Company, Louisiana Land & Exploration Company, The Anschutz Exploration Corp amongst others. His many jobs had him living in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado, where the family finally settled.

While in the US Army Reserves he was a Master paratrooper, jump-master and Green Beret with the Army Special Forces. When he retired from his military career he was a Major with the US Army National Guard, Special Forces unit.

Charles was very active at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School with his daughter Suzanne and grand daughters Bailey and Logan. He also worked in the church garden; he was active with Pura Vida Ministries and was active in many other areas of the church.

He was very dedicated to his family, always around for birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, births of his grandchildren and sporting events for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was a lover of all dogs, especially his White German Shepherds, Shenandoah, Sierra, Rio Blanca and Ella. He was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, 4 wheeling and white water rafting. Charles loved jazz music and would attend concerts whenever possible. He was a Native American and Western art collector and loved anything to do with history. If the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, Denver Nuggets or Wichita State were playing, Charles was watching. He loved his hometown sports teams.

The Celebration of Life for Charles will take place on Friday, September 20 at 2:30 pm at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Memorial donations can be made to National Jewish Health at www.nationaljewish.org, Heifer International at www.heifer.org or to Pura Vida Ministries at www.puravida.org

Celebration of Life: September 20, 2019 2:30 pm

St. Luke's United Methodist Church
8817 S. Broadway
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
(303) 791-0659