Robert Theodore Williams was born December 16, 1906, on a farm near Monroe, Nebraska, the son of John and Margaret (Jones) Williams.

As an infant he moved with his parents to a homestead 16 miles northeast of Philip.  He grew up on the homestead and received his education in that area.  As a young man he worked with his parents on their homestead.

Ted was united in marriage to Camilla Becak in 1925 and to this union was born two sons, Robert Dean and Richard "Dick" Williams.

They made their home on a ranch northeast of Philip until the mid 1930's when they moved to Powell, South Dakota.  While in Powell, Ted was a rural mail carrier, delivering with an automobile, or, if the weather was bad, he carried the mail on horseback.  Later they moved into Philip where he operated a bulk oil company during World War II.

His wife preceded him in death in 1943.

On June 10, 1944, he was united in marriage to Mary G. Stroppel at Midland, South Dakota.

They made their home in Philip until 1946 when they moved to a ranch near Powell, which they operated until 1955.  In 1955 they moved back to Philip to their present location south of town.

While in Philip, he continued to ranch; he owned and operated the Card Room and Cafe; was a part-time mail carrier between Philip and Midland; and was a real estate broker.  He and Art Wheeler were the first two from South Dakota to obtain their real estate broker's licenses.  In 1961 they sold the Card Room and Cafe and he became employed as a bulk oil delivery man for Farmers Union Oil Company until 1968.  In 1968 he acquired the mail carrier contract, which he remained active with until December of 1996.

Ted was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Philip and a charter member of the Bad River Senior Citizens Center, both of Philip.  He enjoyed playing cards and fishing.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Mary G. Williams of Philip; seven sons, Dick Williams and his wife, Kay, of Philip; Jack Williams and his wife, Kathy, of Billings, Montana; Tom Williams of Philip; Don Williams and his wife, Peggy, of Rapid City; Mike Williams of Philip; Bruce Williams of Rapid City; Galo Williams and his wife, Sheryl, of Red Bluff, California; a daughter, Suzanne Lewison and her husband, Larry, of Hurley, South Dakota; 22 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to his first wife, Camilla, he was preceded in death by a son, Robert Dean Williams; his parents; two brothers, Edgar and Morgan Williams; a sister, Ethel Breemes; and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial has been established.

Mass of Christian Burial
Thursday, September 25, 1997
2:00 p.m.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Philip, South Dakota

Celebrant
Father Arnold Kari

Reader
Keith Emerson

Music
JoAnne Stilwell - Organist
Maureen Palecek - Vocalist

Ushers
Chase Sanftner - Jasper Williams

Active Pallbearers
Dick Williams - Jack Williams
Tom Williams - Don Williams
Mike Williams - Bruce Williams - Galo Williams

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Masonic Cemetery
Philip, South Dakota