A lifetime of love for others

SADLY missed . . . Rev David Williams

A MINISTER renowned for his caring pastoral work in Oldham has died aged 81.

Mourners bid a fond farewell to the Rev David Williams at his funeral at Oldham Baptist Church, where he served for 25 years when it was located at King Street.

A service was also held this week in Wolverhampton, where he started his career.

Mr Williams died suddenly at a hospital in Wolverhampton after a long battle against prostate cancer and other health problems.

He was born in Liverpool in 1927 and graduated from the Northern Baptist College in 1956 to become the Minister at Fordhouses Baptist Church in Wolverhampton.

In 1962 he moved to the Golcar Baptist Church, near Huddersfield, and then to King Street Baptist Church, Oldham in 1968 where he remained until retirement in 1993.

He oversaw the rebuilding of the church at King Street, which was completed in 1979, and was a member of the council’s education committee in the mid-1970s as well as a governor of Lyndhurst Junior School and a member of the council of churches.

After retiring, Mr Williams went to live in Shrewsbury and then back to Wolverhampton.

His first wife Maureen died in 1987 and he remarried in 1997 to Jean.

He leaves a twin sister Elsie, two sons Huw and Peter, and four grandchildren, Matthew, Luke, Eleni and Marina.

Mrs Williams (73), said: “He was absolutely wonderful. He was a quiet man in a lot of ways, but a first class pastor. He was caring and a man of integrity who was always there for people.

“The comments by people in Wolverhampton and Oldham are incredible. No one has a bad word to say about him. He was always there for people. He underestimated his own abilities, and he shied away from praise and did not want any fuss.”

Mr Williams was interested in all sports and was a supporter of Everton FC.