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Obituary for HOWARD LESLIE WILLIAMS, JR.
Howard Leslie Williams, Jr., was born on December 9, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Howard, Sr., and Maggie Williams. After a courageous battle with illness, he departed this life on October 31, 2019, at the Calvert Nursing Center in Prince Frederick, Maryland, in the warm and comforting embrace of Delphine, his wife of 51 years.
As far as school was concerned, math and science presented little or no challenge, and he enjoyed becoming a “Poly” student, and his grades showed it. In 1958, Howard graduated from Polytechnic Institute in Baltimore, a college prep school, and matriculated at the University of Maryland College Park, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1964. Immediately afterwards, he was recruited by IBM and began his Electrical Engineering Career in Poughkeepsie, New York. Several years later, he was attracted to a change of job and location at the Department of Defense – NAVSEC (Naval Ship Engineering Command) in Washington, D.C. He retired from that Department in 1993.
Howard was eager to get under way with his longed-for classical piano works. At the top of his list were composers like Frederic Chopin and Ludwig van Beethoven. He played a repertoire of piano compositions while his wife painted fervently, due to his inspirational private concerts. As he took command of the forte, as he called his piano, forest animals took up their wilderness seats, even skunks. The birds chirped happily regardless of the hour of the day, and his cat laid cozily under his piano seat and reluctantly left when he took his break. By the way, Howard’s father originally had bought the piano for Howard, Jr.’s sister, Rita, and was teaching her. She had little or no interest in it. One day to Howard’s father’s surprise, he heard classical music flying through the house, and to his awareness it was his baby boy. Howard had acquired a unique, soothing, and wonderful playing style. He enjoyed creating a classical rendition of “Amazing Grace,” “Nearer My God to Thee,” and others. He did the same with Christmas Carols and “Happy Birthday to You.”
His help and music were conductive to the creation of the expose – “Forty Blossoms from the Bouquet,” an African American Tribute Exhibition, and the subsequent Portrait Expose of the Pastors, the brothers, and others still untitled. Howard was very private about his plaques and awards and being a young Mason. He was born Baptist and known as “little Duke” as he played for the Sunday School. At times, he attended Mt. Olive United Methodist Church in Prince Frederick and other Christian Churches and still longed for Faith Baptist of Baltimore, his childhood church.
Howard is greatly missed and remembered by his wife, Delphine Williams; his sisters: Yolanda (St. Clair) Hurst, Marguerite Williams, Sandra (Paul) Jackson, Sharon (David) Turner, and Della Williams; nieces and nephews; and in-laws: Ruby Hall, Samoa (Tommie) Green, Brenda (Jasper) Manning, David Siggers, Florence (Warren) Chapman, Timothy Siggers, Michael (Robin) Siggers, Teena Siggers, and Lynda Siggers.
A REPAST WILL FOLLOW THE SERVICE. NO FLOWERS PLEASE.
Previous Events
Memorial Service
Friday
15
Nov
11:00 AM11/15/2019 11:00:00 AM
- 12:00 PM
11/15/2019 12:00:00 PM
