Robert Franklin Williams, 90, of Homestead Village, Lancaster, passed away Wednesday, November 14, at the home. He was the husband of Emma Louise Gibble Williams, with whom he shared over 66 years of marriage before her death in June, 2007. Born on February 1, 1917, in Coatesville, PA, he was the son of the late Thomas F. and Clara Thomas Williams.

Bob retired in 1982 as Director of Advertising Sales at Lancaster Newspapers, Inc., where he began his career as an ad salesman in 1946.

He was salutatorian of the Coatesville High School Class of 1934 and valedictorian and lifetime President of the Millersville State Teachers College (now Millersville University) Class of 1938. He and Louise Gibble, Class of 1939, were married on August 25, 1940 at St. Pauls Evangelical & Reformed Church in Lancaster.

After teaching high school in Birdsboro and Coatesville and working at RCA in Lancaster, Bob joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He served in the Pacific as an aerographers mate on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Santee and as an officer on the troop transport U.S.S. Logan. He left active service as a Lieutenant (jg) in 1946 and was later a member of American Legion Post 24 and the Military Officers Association of America, Lancaster Chapter.

Bob played trombone in the first Pennsylvania All-State High School Band in 1934. At Millersville, he sang second tenor in the Campus Quartet. He also played in the Tall Cedars Band, the New Holland Band, the Rohrerstown Band, and the St. Pauls E & R Sunday School orchestra.

Bob and Louise were founding members in 1970 of the Westside Tennis Club on Wilson Ave., and he served as the clubs first president. In 2000, to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, they played a best-of-five-games love match there, cheered on by 75 family members and friends. Louise beat Bob in a tie-breaker in the fifth game (a win he said he gave her out of chivalry).

He was a key participant in the 1975 St. Pauls United Church of Christ merger with St. Johns UCC to form Church of the Apostles, where he remained a member for the rest of his life.

A founding board member of Homestead Village, a retirement community on Marietta Ave., he was liaison to the architect and the builder and remained on the board for many years. He and Louise raised the flag at Homesteads opening ceremony in 1986, and after they moved there in 2002, the Williams Flag Oval was named in their honor on Memorial Day 2006.

Bob was a 32? Mason affiliated with Lodge No. 43 of Lancaster, the Harrisburg Consistory, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.

He was president of the Interstate Advertising Managers Association and the Lancaster ABC (American Business Club), and also belonged to the Hamilton Club, the Cliosophic Society, and the Lancaster Pirates. He bowled on championship teams in the ABC Bowling League, and he and Louise played couples bridge for many years.

Bob is survived by two daughters: Roberta, wife of Samuel H. Francis, of Chatham, NJ, and Sherrill, wife of Donald J. Campbell, of Charlotte, NC. He was predeceased by his third daughter, Joan M., in 1996, and by his brother, Charles T., in 2005.

He leaves a loving legacy for his four grandchildren and three great-granddaughters: Heather C., wife of Joseph Picone, of Quinton, VA, and their daughters Chlo? Louise and Mea Nicole; Erika L. Francis-Raniere, wife of David Raniere, of Sudbury, MA, and their daughter Emma Louise; Christopher S. Francis, of Hoboken, NJ; and David C. Campbell, of Media, PA.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Bobs life at Church of the Apostles, 1850 Marietta Ave., Lancaster, on Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Dr. Tyson L. Frey and his nephew, the Rev. H. Neil Mumma of Coplay, co-officiating. Interment in Millersville Mennonite Cemetery will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Millersville University Foundation (designated for the Joan Williams Scholarship Fund), P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551. Arrangements by the Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home, 394-4097 Lancaster New Era 11/15/2007

Robert Franklin Williams, 90, of Homestead Village, Lancaster, passed away Wednesday, November 14, at the home. He was the husband of Emma Louise Gibble Williams, with whom he shared over 66 years of marriage before her death in June, 2007. Born on February 1, 1917, in Coatesville, PA, he was the son of the late Thomas F. and Clara Thomas Williams.

Bob retired in 1982 as Director of Advertising Sales at Lancaster Newspapers, Inc., where he began his career as an ad salesman in 1946.

He was salutatorian of the Coatesville High School Class of 1934 and valedictorian and lifetime President of the Millersville State Teachers College (now Millersville University) Class of 1938. He and Louise Gibble, Class of 1939, were married on August 25, 1940 at St. Pauls Evangelical & Reformed Church in Lancaster.

After teaching high school in Birdsboro and Coatesville and working at RCA in Lancaster, Bob joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He served in the Pacific as an aerographers mate on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Santee and as an officer on the troop transport U.S.S. Logan. He left active service as a Lieutenant (jg) in 1946 and was later a member of American Legion Post 24 and the Military Officers Association of America, Lancaster Chapter.

Bob played trombone in the first Pennsylvania All-State High School Band in 1934. At Millersville, he sang second tenor in the Campus Quartet. He also played in the Tall Cedars Band, the New Holland Band, the Rohrerstown Band, and the St. Pauls E & R Sunday School orchestra.

Bob and Louise were founding members in 1970 of the Westside Tennis Club on Wilson Ave., and he served as the clubs first president. In 2000, to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, they played a best-of-five-games love match there, cheered on by 75 family members and friends. Louise beat Bob in a tie-breaker in the fifth game (a win he said he gave her out of chivalry).

He was a key participant in the 1975 St. Pauls United Church of Christ merger with St. Johns UCC to form Church of the Apostles, where he remained a member for the rest of his life.

A founding board member of Homestead Village, a retirement community on Marietta Ave., he was liaison to the architect and the builder and remained on the board for many years. He and Louise raised the flag at Homesteads opening ceremony in 1986, and after they moved there in 2002, the Williams Flag Oval was named in their honor on Memorial Day 2006.

Bob was a 32? Mason affiliated with Lodge No. 43 of Lancaster, the Harrisburg Consistory, and the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.

He was president of the Interstate Advertising Managers Association and the Lancaster ABC (American Business Club), and also belonged to the Hamilton Club, the Cliosophic Society, and the Lancaster Pirates. He bowled on championship teams in the ABC Bowling League, and he and Louise played couples bridge for many years.

Bob is survived by two daughters: Roberta, wife of Samuel H. Francis, of Chatham, NJ, and Sherrill, wife of Donald J. Campbell, of Charlotte, NC. He was predeceased by his third daughter, Joan M., in 1996, and by his brother, Charles T., in 2005.

He leaves a loving legacy for his four grandchildren and three great-granddaughters: Heather C., wife of Joseph Picone, of Quinton, VA, and their daughters Chlo? Louise and Mea Nicole; Erika L. Francis-Raniere, wife of David Raniere, of Sudbury, MA, and their daughter Emma Louise; Christopher S. Francis, of Hoboken, NJ; and David C. Campbell, of Media, PA.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Bobs life at Church of the Apostles, 1850 Marietta Ave., Lancaster, on Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Dr. Tyson L. Frey and his nephew, the Rev. H. Neil Mumma of Coplay, co-officiating. Interment in Millersville Mennonite Cemetery will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Millersville University Foundation (designated for the Joan Williams Scholarship Fund), P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551. Arrangements by the Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home, 394-4097 Lancaster New Era 11/15/2007