Robert "Bob" Howard Williams

Graveside services for Robert Williams, 85, currently of Lubbock, will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., May 7, 2022 in the Portales Cemetery with his longtime friend, Randy Dunson officiating.  All of Bob’s former co-workers will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Robert Howard Williams, known to family and friends as Bob, was born Oct. 11, 1936 in Richwood, WV, and died May 2, 2022 in Amarillo, TX.  Bob went to work in the coal mines at an early age, but in 1957, he came west and went to work for the railroad.  He started out as a Switchman, but was later a Brakeman and finally a Conductor.  During his career, he worked mainly out of Belen and Clovis.  In the early years of his career, railroad work was somewhat seasonal.  So, in his off time, he worked as a roofer.  Bob retired in 1995 after 37 ½ years.

On Feb. 28, 1983, in Belen he was married to Wanda Simnacher.  With his marriage to Wanda came her two daughters.  He was one of the men who helped to establish the Credit Union in Belen.  He and the others made the trip to Chicago to obtain the charter.  At one point he was given a large brass bell from a steam engine, which he eventually donated to the Credit Union where it is displayed today. 

Bob was a member of the Belen Masonic Lodge, and helped a number of other men in the process of joining.  He was also a member of the United Transportation Union.  Mr. Williams was a very generous man who was always ready to help anyone he could.  He never had an unkind word for anyone.  He was simply a very good man.  He and his wife continued to live in Belen until 2019, when they moved to Lubbock.

He is survived by Wanda, his wife of more than 39 years of Lubbock; his daughters, Pam LeClear and husband, David of Granbury, TX and Kim Edler of Lubbock, TX; four grandchildren, Cody Jones, Amanda Johnson, Loren (Caleb) Allison and Theran Edler; four great-grandchildren, Jordan Jones, Anton Johnson, Javon Jones and Alexis Jones; as well other family members and his friends.  He was preceded in death by both his mother and father and his step-father, as well as a brother, Butchy Williams and a sister, Carolyn Anderson.

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