POLK CITY, Fla. — A memorial service for former Camp Grace Director Bobby Williams has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday in the camp chapel.
Robert Charles Williams Jr., 57, died on Dec. 13 after a long battle with end-stage liver disease.
Williams worked 18 years from the founding of Camp Grace near Fairmont. As director, he built the camp into a success with the Children’s Bible Ministry, a national, nondenominational mission with 13 camps.
“Every bed was filled last summer, and we will build more cabins this spring for next summer,” said Hector Miray, chairman of the Camp Grace board of directors. “Our outreach bus is at a school today.”
Miray, pastor of the Vertical Church in Lumberton, worked as a children’s missionary at Camp Grace.
“Bobby made a huge impact on this community that will last for generations,” Miray said. “His mission to develop leaders and outreach to youth was very successful. Some of the former campers are now counselors at the camp.”
Miray will speak at the memorial service Saturday. Williams left Camp Grace three years ago and was working at a CBM camp in Florida, where he died.
Williams was born in Naples, Italy, and is survived by his wife, Karen of Lakeland, Fla.; daughter, Hayley Raymond (Alex) of Omaha, Neb.,; son Dustin (Williams Erin) of Greenville, S.C.; daughter, Lacey Williams of the home; a sister, Janice (Vise David) of Deland, Fla.; two brothers, Richard Williams (Dawn) of Orange City, Fla., and Ronald Williams (Debbie) of Deland, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his son Logan; granddaughter, Payton Raymond; a brother, Roger Williams; and nephew, Adam Davison.
A graduate of Clearwater Christian College in Florida with degrees in Bible and Physical Education, Williams taught at Mulberry Middle School and established the soccer program at there. Soccer was a lifelong passion for him.
In 1996, he and his family entered full-time ministry and moved to Fairmont to begin what became his legacy and life’s service as a missionary with Children’s Bible Ministries as founder of Camp Grace.
After 18 years of service at Camp Grace, he served a year with a CBM camp in Tennessee before returning to serve as camp director of Camp Gilead, which he attended as a youth.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Logan Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund at Camp Grace or to other CBM camps.
