Richard E. Williams, age 86, passed away on February 27, 2025, at home, under the care of his loving family.
There will be a memorial service for Richard on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at the Macomb Wesleyan Church. Arrangements are with French Funeral Home, Gouverneur. Condolences may be shared online at www.frenchfuneralhomes.com.
Richard was born at home in Gouverneur to the late Roger E. and Leta M. (Bigelow) Williams on October 23, 1938. He attended the local one room school house and then graduated from Gouverneur High School. After high school, he operated the family farm, Wilhome Dairy Farm until his retirement in 2017.
He married Gloria M. Love on April 3, 1959 at the Gouverneur Nazarene Church. They had four children: Richard, Robert, Gina and Roger.
As well as running the family farm, which won the Dairy of Distinction award for many years, Richard was an active member at church. He was the treasurer for the Gouverneur Nazarene Church and the Harrisville Pilgrim Holiness Church. He also was the treasurer and an active member in the Gouverneur Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship.
Richard was a kind, sweet, loving, humorous, and honest man. He loved God and his family and told them so frequently. In the home, he had family devotions every day. He took his family to church three times a week, Sunday morning and evening and Wednesday night too. When the church held special services, Richard and his family were there in attendance. Richard loved music, especially gospel music. He had music playing wherever he was. You could often hear him whistling. As a boy, he fished in a creek. When he had children, he took them fishing after the night chores. Richard loved to go camping. When the haying season was complete for the summer, he would take his family camping. He enjoyed having friends over for dinner after church. He visited family and friends. He stayed connected to them. He loved to travel and see new places. He traveled to the Pacific Ocean three times. He enjoyed attended farm shows from Syracuse, NY to Pennsylvania. Every year in August, he went to Richland Holiness Camp Meeting in Richland, NY. This was a tradition that was begun by his maternal grandmother Jessie Bigelow and his mother Leta who attended from Richville, NY to Richland, NY, an 80-mile journey by horse and carriage. He always tried to make it to the annual Williams’ Family Reunion. He would say that you need to see your cousins.
Richard is survived by his four children and their spouses; Richard (Pamela), Robert (Angela), Gina (Richard) Vaillancourt, and Roger. He also is survived by his 14 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
As well as his parents, he is predeceased by his brothers, Elbert, Gordon, Merrill and David.