Theodore ‘Ted’ Dane Williams

Oct. 26, 1946 ~ May 21, 2022

Ted Williams was born Oct. 26, 1946, in Greeley, Colorado, to George and Doris Williams. He was an ornery, loved, ball of fire from day one. He moved around a lot with his father, after his mother’s death when he was just 12 years old. At the age of 23 he met the love of his life, Mary Ann Bechek of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, at a church camp in Denver, Colorado. Upon meeting his future mother-in-law and her telling him he’d last maybe three months, they got married and moved around — living in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee and Texas before returning to Denver.

As a typesetter by trade, in 1974 he accepted a job with The Meeker Herald. After searching for the small town on their atlas, they relocated with their three small children to Meeker. Throughout his 48 years in Meeker he also worked for Northwest Contractors, Ruckman Construction and Rio Blanco County Road and Bridge. He was always helping others and volunteered for the Meeker Fire Department and Ambulance service for many years.

He was a jack-of-all-trades and knew “just enough about everything to really make a mess,” he always said. He enjoyed many years of camping with wonderful family time and made lifelong friends in Meeker. He loved hunting and fishing and passed those traits down to his kids and grandkids. He loved to travel and went to all 48 continental states in their motorhome. He completed his dream of going to Alaska, including a flight on a float plane with his wife (no float plane for her), his daughter and her husband and some of his in-laws. In 1999 he set up a family camping trip that quickly became an anticipated yearly event with all his kids, their spouses, his grandkids and great-grandkids. It was always a special, eventful time filled with lots of laughter and love.

One of his favorite memories was when the entire family, including most of his grandkids, great-grandkids and some extended family, flew to Phoenix and spent a week at a VRBO for his and Mary Ann’s 50th wedding anniversary. His grandkids and great-grandkids were his pride and joy and he enjoyed just hearing their laughter and voices until the end. His smile was contagious and he always had a witty joke or comeback for everyone.

He passed away peacefully on May 21, 2022, at his daughter’s home in Windsor with his family at his bedside. We know without a doubt that he is dancing in heaven with those preceding him in death: his parents, his brother and his beloved grandson Joseph. Though heartbroken and missing his love and crazy antics — the rest of us will have our joyous reunion someday. He leaves behind, for the time, his wife of 52 years Mary Ann, his daughter Karen (Larry) Lyons, his son Scott (Carrieann) Williams, his daughter Denise (Chip) Brown, his grandchildren Zachery Lyons, Ivy Lyons, Brittany (Nick) DeLeone, Matt Williams, Cole Brown, Kirsten Brown and his great-grandbabies Tennar, Hazel and Zayden Lyons and Everley and Eli DeLeone. Services to be held at the end of June in Meeker