Russell Ward--Williams

- October 19, 2023

April 2, 1945

A Longtime Aptos Resident

On October 19th Russell passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family. He was 78 years old. Russ was born in Wales, UK and arrived with his family in the United States aboard the Queen Mary when he was 3 years old. They settled in Turlock, California and in 1954 he became a United States Citizen. In 1960 they moved to Aptos, CA where he lived off of Freedom Boulevard, across from where the future Aptos High School would be built years later. He attended Watsonville High School and graduated in the class of 1963.

Shortly after graduation, he joined the United States Navy and was stationed aboard the USS Kittyhawk Aircraft Carrier during the Vietnam war. He was a highly trained Radarman and a Lookout for the US fighter jets and an alert for enemy aircraft. After leaving the Navy he went to work for Sylvania as a Systems Analyst in Santa Cruz and while working there, he met his wife Darlene in November of 1966. They were together 57 years and married for Fifty Years.

He then left Sylvania and went to Carpentry trade school and became a licensed General Contractor in Santa Cruz County for over 45 years. He had the eye of a True master in Building and He was highly skilled throughout the many different trades.

Russ was a member of the Santa Cruz Jaycees and loved going to the Santa Cruz Spring Fairs, Beach Street Revivals and many other fun community events. Russ enjoyed Building as well as Fishing, Golfing, Boating and driving his Muscle Cars. He was a member of the Capitola Cam Snappers Car Club and would regularly attend car shows throughout the Santa Cruz County communities. He also loved going to lakes and especially to Lake Oroville, where he spent time with his many friends who he considered family and having fun on the lake boating and towing water-skiers around, golf cart poker runs, attending BBQ's. Russ always loved a great party.

Russ truly loved life and was an incredible Husband, Father, Son, Grandpa and a Genuine Friend to All. He made friends wherever he would go and was always the first to lend a helping hand in any way that he could.

Russ is survived by his wife Darlene Ward-Williams, his daughter Kimberly Moriarity Wildey and his son in law Murphy Wildey, his son Brian Ward-Williams and daughter in law Natasha Woods Ward-Williams as well his two young grandsons Asher and Liam Ward-Williams. He was preceded in his death by his father David Ward-Williams, his mother Beryl Ward-Williams, sister Jacqueline Ward-Williams and his son in law Jay Moriarity.

A huge Thank You to the Doctors and Nurses at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto for their tremendous care and support that Russ received, as well as the VA Fisher house for being there for our family during that week.

A Celebration of Russ's Life will be held at the Seascape Golf Club in Aptos on April 6th, 2024.

Further details will be announced in the Spring of '24.