Donald Dale Williams

Donald Dale Williams, age 93, lately of Greenback, TN, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, December 24, 2020.

He was preceded in death by parents, Dan H. Williams and Mattie Miller Williams, and his beloved stepmother, Dora Proffitt Williams; a sister, Mattie Williams Shields; and brothers, Hobart and Kenneth Williams. He was also preceded in death by a son, David Williams.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Lee McCall Williams; his daughters Donna (Michael) Budai, Vicki (Daniel) Heller, Cathy (Kevin) Wilson, Sharon (Neville) Newman, and Bethany (Michael) Woodward; his son Timothy Dale (Ruth) Williams; 28 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters Mary Ownby and Janice Whaley; and brothers Joe Williams, Paul Williams, and David Williams.

Born and raised in Sevier County, TN, Donald graduated from Sevierville High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1952 from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN. He also received a master’s degree from Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, VA. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, receiving an honorable discharge in 1948, and 4 years later an honorable discharge from the Marine Reserves.
Donald worked at Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, TN, for 2 years. He then began his career as a mechanical engineering professor at Tennessee Tech, where his students nicknamed him “D²” (or “D-Square”) – a playful fusion of his initials (D.D.W.) and the mathematical nature of the classes he taught. Because he was deeply interested in his students’ ultimate success and character development, he gained a reputation as a demanding teacher, expecting students to earn their grades through integrity and dedication. He enjoyed his employment at Tech from the year 1955 until he retired in the year 2000. During this season, he spent a few years as a private consultant with Box, Cannella, Howland, Maffett, Rinks, and Williams, after which he formed his own consulting group, D² & Associates. He was a passionate Ping-Pong player. He was an avid photographer, and he enjoyed many years of filming football and basketball games for Tennessee Tech, forming strong and enduring bonds among fellow photography enthusiasts.
Donald and Betty married on March 12, 1952, in Sevierville, TN; at his passing, they had been married almost 70 years. They moved to Cookeville, TN, in 1955, where they raised their 6 children. They were active members of First Baptist Church of Cookeville, where he served as a Sunday School teacher, a deacon, and in various other capacities for the 63 years of their residence in Cookeville, maintaining a steadfast presence in his church community. In 2018, Donald and Betty moved to Greenback, TN, to be near one of their daughters.
He was a man of few words – “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). He possessed strong convictions and an enduring faith that was naturally and easily passed on to his children, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren. His most defining quality was that he loved and trusted the Lord. His favorite hymn was The Old Rugged Cross. His favorite Bible verse was Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” His faith made him simultaneously confident and humble. He was loved and adored by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and he will be remembered for his patience, his wisdom, and his love for his Savior. His influence as the family patriarch was profound. In his passing, he left his family planted securely on Christ, the Solid Rock.