Mr. Howard “Bruce” Williams, age 80, of Vevay, Indiana, was born November 8, 1943 at the Freeman Greene County Hospital in Linton, Indiana. He was the son of Raymond and Doris (Lynch) Williams. He was raised in Greene County, Indiana, having lived in Bloomfield and near Koleen. Bruce graduated from Bloomfield High School, class of 1961. On February 5, 1962, Bruce joined the United States Navy in Bloomington, Indiana and went to boot camp in San Diego, California. He went to Airframe School at Millington Naval Air Station near Memphis, Tennessee. Bruce’s next duty station was at the Moffett Field near Sunnyside, California. He received the Good Conduct Medal and was honorably discharged as a Third Class Petty Officer on June 3, 1966. Bruce was honorably discharged from the Naval Reserves with the rank of Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class on February 4, 1968. On July 1, 1967, Bruce became a member of the Indiana State Police and was assigned to the Connersville Post. He later was assigned to the Versailles Post until retirement in September 2001. Bruce was united in marriage on March 2, 1968 to Patricia Long at the First Christian Church in Bloomfield, Indiana. They shared 56 years of marriage together and was blessed with two sons, Patrick and Eric. Bruce was a former detective for 21 years and was a detective squad sergeant for eight of those years. He later worked for the Switzerland County commissioners for 16 years as a commissioners assistant and county manager, retiring in 2020. Bruce served as a board member on various boards for Switzerland County. He was a charter member of the Switzerland County Lions Club and was a member of the Vevay American Legion Post #185. Bruce was a member of the Mt. Sterling Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and trustee. Bruce enjoyed reading British mysteries and watching his five grandchildren play sports, as well as, mushroom hunting, traveling and boating on the Ohio River. Bruce passed away at 1:20 a.m., Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Norton King’s Daughters’ Hospital in Madison, Indiana.
Bruce will be missed by his wife, Patricia (Long) Williams of Vevay, IN; his sons, Patrick Bruce Williams and his wife, Natalie of Vevay, IN and Stephen Eric Williams and his wife, Erin of Vevay, IN; his grandchildren, Jacob Patrick Williams, Isaac Werner Williams, Nathaniel Bruce Williams, Bowe Huntington Williams and Otto Collis Williams all of Vevay, IN and his several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Williams, died June 5, 2002; his mother, Doris (Lynch) Williams, died March 13, 2007; his brothers, R. Beuford Williams, died March 28, 1964, Otto Ward Williams, died February 17, 2010 and Ronald Lee Williams, died December 17, 2015 and his sister-in-law, Sondra Williams, died December 19, 2023.
Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 14, 2024, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street, Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Graveside Services will be conducted at 1:00 p.m., Friday, March 15, 2024, in the Walnut Grove Cemetery in Bloomfield, Indiana with Pastor Mike Sawalich, officiating. Full military rites will be conducted by the Honor Guard of the Bloomfield American Legion Post #196.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Mt. Sterling Baptist Church or Switzerland County YMCA. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com