Tony Williams

(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)

Tony Roland Williams went to be with his Lord and Savior on December 27th, 2023, in his home after a long battle with heart disease.

Tony was born May 23rd, 1962, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma along with his twin brother Jeffery Noland who preceded him in death. Tony was always proud to be twins and had an undying devotion to his brother.

Tony was born to Clyde “Willie” and Patricia Williams who preceded him in death. As a young child he travelled the world with his parents and often spoke of how proud he was of his dad’s time in the Navy.

In his freshman year of high school his family moved to Webb City, Missouri where he very proudly became a Cardinal. Playing football was one of his passions in high school and he even earned the nickname “Hog” by all of his football buddies. He was a member of Wildwood Baptist Church in Joplin.

Tony began his career in welding at Eagle Picher at age 18 and then moved to Mid-America Precision Products where he remained for 39 years and retired in 2016. He loved welding and creating things that he knew were going to the military. He always said he, “had the hands of a surgeon and brains of a welder”.

He married Tonya R. Williams on March 10th, 2006, in Joplin, Missouri (she survives) where we quickly became a blended family of 6. Tony never believed in calling his step-kids “step”; The day he married Tonya they all became ours and he stepped up to be a dad when he didn’t have to be. His children were the highlight of his life; Hunter Lane Williams (Cathline), Ashton Rachelle Atkinson (Josh), Zakkary Howerton (Saige), Luke Roland Williams, and the sunlight of his life, his granddaughter and fishing buddy, his “AL” Allie. He is also survived by his mother and father in-law Rick and Brenda Wilton, sister and brother in-law Ashlea and Patton Burkhart, one sister Vicki Briggs-Williams, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Tony loved being outside, working in our garden, playing with his three fur babies Shade, Sky, and Sadie, and his biggest love being fishing. Rain, cold, hot, it did not matter, all he wanted to do was fish. His notorious saying was. “Just one more cast guys, just one more”. He was a true fisher of men physically and spiritually. He helped lead many souls to Christ.

Matthew 4:19 was his true heart; “And he said unto them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

A family held Celebration of Life will be 2:00 pm Saturday January 6, 2024 at Wildwood Baptist Church 4827 E 20th Joplin, Missouri.