<p>Ben was born in Laurel Mississippi on June 3,1938 to Woodrow and Mamie Williams. He was the second of four children. His older brother Winford, younger brother Arvin, younger sister Elaine. He is survived by wife Renee, son Steve and wife Robin, son Mike, and son Paul and Jessica Williams, brother Arvin and Faye Williams and several grandchildren some of who were born after his passing. In the early 1960's Ben moved from Mississippi coming out to California. He became active in church work including music director and eventually pastor of several churches both in California and Mississippi. It was during these early years that he got married and started a family.</p><p> They spent the next several years in California and Mississippi to pastor churches. In the late 1970's Ben came back to California while his family as in Mississippi to get a job and bring his family back out to California. It was during this time that his first marriage ended and he ended up getting the boys. During this time he married Renee and as the job he had was changing the family moved back to Mississippi for a few months. In 1979 the family moved back to California and then in January 1980 they made the move to Salem Oregon to help family get a business started. The family built and sold pickup canopies for 10 years then Ben and Renee moved to California to pastor a small church for 2 years.</p><p> In 1992 Ben and Renee moved back to Salem for 6 months and then to Washington where they both worked jobs until 1996 when Renee lost her job and then the next month Ben had open heart surgery. With no job they moved back to Oregon to stay with friends until they could get on their feet and get a place to live. Ben ended up disabled and Renee went to work at the local hospital. Then memorial day weekend Renee went to work and when she got home from work hours later Renee found him lying on the floor in the hallway. He had fallen right after she had left for work and was down that while time. </p><p> Been then spent the next 2 months going between the hospital and rehab. The last time he was in the hospital the main doctor was going on vacation and wanted to send Ben back to rehab. Before that could happen while the doctor was on vacation Ben took a turn for the worse. He asked Renee if he was going to die and not sure how to answer Renee told him that it was up to him if he wanted to continue to fight and get better or if he was ready to give up. During this time good friends from church would take turns coming and staying with him while Renee would go and work half shifts. When the doctor got back from vacation he could not believe how are Ben's health had gone downhill. The doctor told Renee that it was time to make decisions on what they were going to do.</p><p>Before Renee went to work for 4 hours that it was to the point of taking him off all medications and give him morphine and it could take up to 48 hours for him to pass. To this day Renee can show you the spot where she received the call from friends saying that he had passed away. Renee was only 5 minutes from the hospital. His greatest joy during this time was the friends who came to visit with him and the fact that his younger brother and sister-in-law were able to come spend a weekend and he was able to see all of the boys. It was like he was holding on to see his brother and sister-in-law even though he didn't know they were coming. He passed away at 6:20 pm on July 20. At least he wasn't suffering any more. </p><p>I am thankful to all the friends who were there for support. I also still appreciate that his brother and wife have still kept in contact. Thank you to done involved.</p>