David Alan Williams

Jul. 7, 1940 - Aug. 27, 1977

A tribute to the Beyond Our Control mastermind...

Dave Williams was born in South Bend on June 7, 1940. He attended Muessel Elementary and South Bend Central. He was in Cub Scouts and took accordion lessons and attended a Lutheran Church where he would light candles. Dave lived at 924 California Avenue for the first 13 years of his life. He then moved across the street to 919 California Avenue, and eventually bought a house on Hollywood Place, in the late 60's. Dave got his first camera at age 13, when he started writing stories and he never quit. He took classes at at IUSB and worked at the library after graduating high school. Dave went to work at WNDU, as production assistant in 1960, and was later promoted to Production Manager in 1964. Dave also began volunteering at Junior Achievement.

By the early 70's, and after lots of hard work, BOC was running full strength. Markmakers ad agency tried to hire him, at triple his current salary, but he would need to leave BOC behind. He declined and stayed loyal to BOC. Suddenly, in 1977, Dave died of a brain tumor at the age of 37. In a letter to his kids, he wrote.... some of you might find it ironic that a 37 year old man, who neither drinks nor smokes nor does drugs and who frequently preaches that life is great, if you smile and make others happy, suddenly discovers that he harbors something in his brain that doesn't belong there. I think that it all has to do with working hard and smiling a lot and listening more than you talk and concentrating your effort in one area. So, remember me, please, at my best. Filming, or lecturing, or joking with you. But, most of all laughing. It was the thing we did best and the thing I was always proudest of.

David Alan Williams

Source:  Ancestry.com

04/18/2023 DEC

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