DuWayne ("Tony") Williams and his bride of 60 years, Bonnie Clair Vernon Williams, passed away this week. DuWayne (age 83) died Sun. morning in bed beside his wife who had slipped into a coma. Bonnie (age 78) passed away peacefully two days later in Lakeview Hospital with her family by her side. DuWayne was born March 12, 1924 in Salt Lake City to Arthur and Mary Williams who later moved to Milford. DuWayne proudly served in the US Navy during World War II. He was among the first Americans to enter Nagasaki after the 2nd Atomic Bomb was dropped. DuWayne and his war experience later became the subject of an Academy Award winning documentary film produced by his son, Casey. After the war, DuWayne returned to Milford where he met and promptly fell in love with Bonnie Vernon, daughter of Harold and Mildred Vernon.
Bonnie was born in St. John, Utah on April 14, 1929 and later moved to Milford where her father worked as a section foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad Bonnie and DuWayne were wed on August 21, 1947 and were the parents of two children, daughter, Janna and son, Casey. Many from Milford will remember DuWayne as a sports enthusiast who refereed high school football, basketball and track in the 1950's and early 1960's.
DuWayne worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and Bonnie is best remembered as the Secretary of Milford High School. Both dearly loved the outdoors and the mountains surrounding their southern Utah home. DuWayne was an avid outdoorsman with an affinity for hunting and fishing; a passion he shared with his family right on down to his grandsons. During the summer months both DuWayne and Bonnie would entertain their grandsons with frequent camping trips and almost daily picnics and steak-frys in the local canyons. They were loving parents, devoted grandparents, and wonderful friends to all who surrounded them. DuWayne will long be remembered for the countless stories he would tell and retell and retell again.
Bonnie and DuWayne recently made their home in Bountiful where they could be close to their son and medical care. They were preceded in death by their daughter, Janna Woods, Rexburg, ID. They are survived by their son, Casey G. Williams and his wife, Ida (Bountiful); three grandsons and one great-grandchild (Ian and Alanna of Salt Lake City and their daughter, Cora Bonnie, Blake of Salt Lake City, Trevor and Shelley of Springville). Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Tues. January 15, 2008 at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, where friends and family may call 9:30 - 10:30 prior to the services. Interment - Camp Williams Veterans Memorial Park.