CONWAY — Caral Douglas Williams,
77, of Conway, Ark., passed away December 19, 2021, due to heart and kidney failure. He was born September 14, 1944, in Nimrod, Ark., to Roy Edward Williams and Letha Anderson Williams. Caral was a graduate of Paramount High School in Compton, Calif., in 1962. He served in the US Air Force from 1965 to 1969 and was stationed in Pakistan and England, where he developed his love of traveling. The majority of his professional career was in the grocery business, managing stores in Hot Springs, Morrilton, Russellville, and Clarkville. Later he worked for ConAgra in Russellville before retiring in 2009. Caral was a man of strong faith that he lived out every day through his caring stewardship for others and the planet. He served as an Elder and a Deacon in the Presbyterian church and was famous for cooking delicious meals in the church kitchen and grilling burgers at church picnics. He was a raging extrovert and loved to meet new people and keep up with old friends. He always had a ready smile and a story to tell. “It’s like I told this old boy the other day” was a favorite opening line for a conversation or story. He married Betsy Jean Gillaspy on July 20, 1989, on Mt. Nebo and quickly took in her three children, Betsy Ann, Art, and Stephen, as his own. He always talked about how lucky he was to have his family, but we were really the lucky ones to have such a generous, hard-working, loving father.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Betsy Jean; daughter: Betsy Ann and husband Chuck; son: Art and wife Julie; son Stephen and wife Allison; and sister Betty Benefield Dunn of Plainview, Ark.; five grandchildren: Emma Gillaspy, Nathan Gillaspy, Claire Gillaspy, Betsy Zalinski, and Gillian Gillaspy; and numerous cousins and extended family.
A celebration of Caral’s life service is being planned for sometime in 2022 due to concerns about COVID-19. More details will be announced through the First Presbyterian Church of Conway.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church in Conway (https://www.fpcconway.org/giving) or Ferncliff Camp (https://ferncliff.org/).