James "Jimmy" Williams

Jimmy Williams, born on April 1, 1940, in Fort Worth, Texas, passed away on January 22, 2024, surrounded by the love of his family. He was the beloved son of Dr. James C. Williams II and Charlotte Bock Williams.

He was somewhat private about his childhood, having lost his mother at the age of six. He remained close with his younger sister Bettye and loved their time growing up in Fort Worth, where he graduated from Paschall High School.

His real journey began when he met Linda Ligon, a native of Weslaco, while both were students at Texas Christian University. He enlisted in the United States Air Force at age 22 and spent several years in service and in the reserves. Jimmy and Linda later married, and he followed her home to Weslaco, a place he grew to cherish. He loved the people, the food, the culture and the overall way-of-life the Rio Grande Valley Offered.

In the Valley, Jimmy helped raise his family, and worked alongside his father-in-law, E.W. Ligon on a variety of entrepreneurial endeavors. It was a bit later in life before he embarked on a career in real estate. His passion for conversation found a perfect match in this profession, allowing him to share his wealth of knowledge about Texas towns, bluegrass music, and countless anecdotes. He could instantaneously and expertly make a connection with someone, by citing an arcane fact or knowing someone they knew. No one before or since could do it better than him.

A dedicated husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, Jimmy had a special gift for making people feel important. Described often as "one-of-a-kind"; he leaves behind a legacy of warmth and connection. He had a soft spot for helping those that were less fortunate. This led him to join the Lions Club in Weslaco in 1969. He served in many capacities, including President (1989-90), and was the longest tenured member of the club at the time of his passing.

He enjoyed singing in the choir at church, he never missed any of his children’s sporting or extracurricular activities and could make people laugh hysterically with his wicked humor. It was never a dull moment around our legendary ‘Poompa’. He genuinely cared about people and we so loved him for it.

Jimmy is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Linda, and their children: Melissa Beckwith and her sons Will Beckwith and McLean Beckwith; Ches Williams (wife Caroline) and their children Chesley and Charlya Grace; Chris (wife Kim) and their children Charlotte (husband Eli Loman their son Xavier) and Gigi. He is also survived by his sister Bettye Pomykal (husband Norman), as well as nephews David Teis, Larry Teis, and Donny Teis, and niece Joy Robb.

A memorial celebration will take place on Saturday, February 3 rd from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Williams residence to honor a life well lived. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Weslaco Lions Club Foundation, PO Box 214, Weslaco, TX 78596- in honor of James Williams.