James Williams

James Thomas (Tommy) Williams, Jr., 89, of Christiansburg, VA died May 1, 2007 at Kroontje Health Care Center.

He was born in Charlotte County near Keysville, VA, December 16, 1917, the son of the late James Thomas and Bessie Chappell Williams. Mr. Williams moved to Christiansburg in 1966 and served as President of the Bank of Christiansburg (now Wachovia) for fourteen years until his retirement December 31, 1981. His banking career began in Richmond with the Bank of Commerce & Trusts in 1936. A veteran of World War II, he was an infantry sergeant and fought in the North African Campaign with the 34th Infantry Division (Red Bull) where he was severely wounded and received the Purple Heart. After returning from service, he married Harriette Owens Purdy of Sumter, SC in 1944. He was employed by the National Bank of South Carolina, Sumter, as Assistant Cashier and later by Peoples Bank of Cheraw, SC as Executive Vice President and CEO.

A graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Rutger's University in 1959, he served two terms as a member of the Board of the Virginia Bankers' Association. Mr. Williams was an elder in Christiansburg Presbyterian Church, and a member and former president of the Christiansburg-Blacksburg Rotary Club where he was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award. A member and former president of the Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, he received the Distinguished Citizen Award from that organization in 1987.

He served two terms as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Montgomery Regional Hospital. He served on the Board of Directors of Warm Hearth, Inc. (a retirement community) for 26 years and during that time he was vice-chairman and corporate treasurer. Warm Hearth was an organization to which he gave dedicated service since the time of its beginning in 1976. He was also a former member of the Bank of Floyd board of directors. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing, hunting and competitive trap shooting. He was a dedicated member of the Isaac Walton Gun Club and the Virginia Trapshooters Association.

Mr. Williams was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Louise Purdy Williams, and a sister, Louise W. Griffith, Crozet, VA. Survivors include his wife, Harriette Purdy Williams, one daughter and son-in-law, Anne W. and E. Hope Shuford, Jr., Cheraw, SC; and one son and daughter-in-law, James (Jimmy) Thomas, III, and Harriet (Lester) Williams, Christiansburg; one sister, Marion W. Watson, Dallas, TX; six grandchildren: Anne Hope Shuford Thomas and husband Benjie, of Morganton, NC; Edward H. Shuford, III and wife Ansley (Thomas), of Aiken, SC; Virginia Shuford Cox and husband Ricky, and Margaret P. Shuford, all of Florence, SC; David T. Williams and wife Kati (Wise) of Blacksburg, VA, and James P. Williams and wife Nicole (Fougere), of Richmond, VA. Also surviving are nine great grandchildren: Drew, Charlotte and Bryon Thomas, Morganton, NC; Jake and Ella Hope Shuford, Aiken, SC; Caleb and Gracyn Cox, Florence, SC; and Maggi and Hayli Williams, Blacksburg, VA. The family would like to thank all the staff at Kroontje Health Care Center for their love and professional care.

Visitation with the family will be from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Friday, May 4, at Horne Funeral Home.
The funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 5 at Christiansburg Presbyterian Church conducted by Dr. Don Makin, followed by grave side service at Sunset Cemetery, Christiansburg. The family suggests in lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Christiansburg Presbyterian Church, 107 West Main Street, Christiansburg, VA 24073 or Warm Hearth, Inc., 2603 Warm Hearth Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060.