Clarence Russell Williams,

CLARENCE R. WILLIAMS, AGE 87 OF OZARK DIED TUESDAY, MARCH 17TH. HE WAS THE SON OF SOLEN E. AND NANCY A. (RUSSELL) WILLIAMS OF JOHNSON COUNTY, ARKANSAS; HE SERVED IN WORLD WAR II AS ONE OF THE FIRST THREE AERIAL NAVIGATORS IN THE U.S. MARINE CORPS. AN EDUCATOR, ARTIST & MUSICIAN HE RECEIVED A B.A. DEGREE IN MUSIC AND LITERATURE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS, A MASTER'S DEGREE IN MUSIC FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND A DOCTORATE IN THE FINE ARTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, FAYETTEVILLE. FOR TEN YEARS HE TAUGHT CHORAL MUSIC IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF VAN BUREN, AR AND VINITA, OK, STAGING AND DIRECTING MANY MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS. IN 1957 HE OWNED AND OPERATED A STUDIO OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN OZARK, AR AND AFTER 1961 TAUGHT MUSIC, SPEECH, DRAMA, AND DEBATE, AS WELL AS MUSIC THEORY, WHILE SRVING AS DIRECTOR OF THE COLLEGE CHOIR AND HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC AT THE COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS (NOW UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS). IN 1965 HE BECAME DIRECTOR OF HARRISON REGIONAL ARTS AND CRAFTS CENTER AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN HARRISON, ARKANSAS. THESE EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS SERVED 29 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SEVEN COUNTIES AND WON STATE AND NATIONAL ACCLAIM AND AWARDS, RECEIVING SPECIAL COMMENDATION FROM THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND WERE DISSEMINATED NATION-WIDE. DURING THIS TIME WILLIAMS ALSO ORGANIZED THE NORTH ARKANSAS CONCERT ASSOCIATION WHICH DEVELOPED INTO A COMMUNITY-WIDE PROJECT PROVIDING CONCERTS FOR STUDENTS AND AN ANNUAL SERIES OF EVENING CONCERTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE SAINT LOUIS SYMPHONY WITH WALTER SUSSKIND CONDUCTING; BALLET WEST; NORMAN LUBOFF CHOIR; CHET ATKINS WITH THE SPRINGFIELD YOUTH SYMPHONY AND MANY OTHERS. IN THE LATE 1970'S, WILLIAMS WAS HIGHLY INSTRUMENTAL IN ESTABLISHING THE NORTH ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHICH IS NOW NORTH ARKANSAS COLLEGE, A FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTION IN HARRISON. SERVING AS CHAIRMAN OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, HE ORGANIZED A COUNTY-WIDE EFFORT TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO ESTABLISH THE COLLEGE. HE HAS SERVED AS WRITER-CONSULTANT FOR SILVER BURDETT/GINN PUBLISHERS BY PROVIDING GUIDELINES FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF MUSICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS. HE ALSO WROTE FOR A NUMBER OF HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES AND HAS PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF FAMILY HISTORIES WHICH ARE NOW IN SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. HE IS LISTED IN ARKANSAS LIVES, COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND NOTEWORTHY AMERICANS, DICTIONARY OF INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHY, LEADERS IN EDUCATION, MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT, NATIONAL SOCIAL DIRECTORY, PERSONALITIES OF THE SOUTH, TWO THOUSAND MEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AND WHO'S WHO IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST. HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MUSIC EDUCATOR'S NATIONAL CONFERENCE, ARKANSAS ART CENTER, ROTARY INTERNATIONAL (PAST PRESIDENT, Ozark, ar); PHI DELTA KAPPA; NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS CONCERT ASSOCIATION (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR), AND THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF 60 YEARS, KATALA (GREEN) WILLIAMS; DAUGHTER ANITRA S. FAY AND HUSBAND EDGAR FAY; SON RUSSELL G. WILLIAMS; GRANDSON MATTHEW W. FAY AND WIFE JESSICA; AND GRANDDAUGHTERS, MARISSA WILLIAMS AND JESSICA WILLIAMS. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 2:00 PM SUNDAY, MARCH 22, AT RAYMOND MUNGER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS CAMPUS, CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS. THE GRAVESIDE SERVICE AT 11:00 AM MONDAY WILL BE PRECEDED BY VISITATION WITH THE FAMILY 9:30 TIL 10:30 AM AT SHAFFER FUNERAL HOME. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE FORT SMITH SYMPHONY DESIGNATED TO THE CLARENCE R. WILLIAMS MEMORIAL FUND, P. O. BOX 3151, FORT SMITH, AR 72913.

Clarence Russell Williams,

March 23, 2009