Raymond S. Williams, Educator

The life of Raymond S. Williams, a longtime Seattle educator and Democratic Party activist, will be celebrated Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mount Baker Community Club.

Mr. Williams died Friday, at 69, after a long illness. His wife of 40 years, Margaret (Peg) Williams, said her husband had insisted she throw a party for his life rather than hold a memorial service for his death.

Ray Williams will be remembered for the wit, charm and strong personality he brought to any endeavor, Peg said.

His work also carries on in the form of a scholarship fund in his name and a successful evening program in adult education at Chief Sealth High School.

Mr. Williams came up with the idea of using Chief Sealth classrooms for adult education nearly 20 years ago, and today the program is still going strong under the auspices of the Fauntleroy YMCA, said Ken Prestrud, a retired Boeing engineer who headed a citizen committee that worked with Mr. Williams on the idea.

``We thought it was an extra special dimension that occurred here in West Seattle mostly because of Ray's farsighted planning,'' Prestrud said.

Mr. Williams' humanism marked the program, too.

On the first night of classes one quarter, an instructor in personal grooming and charm called in sick. Mr. Williams went to tell the mostly women students that the class was canceled, Prestrud said.

Instead, he ended up talking to them for 45 minutes. By the time the students left, they had received a lesson in charm from their temporary instructor.

``He could relate to people and talk to them on any subject,'' Prestrud said.

Joan Butterworth, principal at Chief Sealth, also remembered Mr. Williams for his love of people.

``Ray was such an outgoing person,'' Butterworth said. ``He loved people. He put a lot of time in for volunteer activities, working with the PTSA and trying to do things that basically were good for kids and for the school. And he had a sense of humor that was just marvelous. Didn't matter what was happening, he could always find the light side.''

Mr. Williams' friends used to tell him his office was an incredible mess, which it probably was, but he could always find what he needed, Butterworth said.

To keep track of the telephone calls he needed to return, Mr. Williams hooked a paper clip to his necktie and kept the message slips right there.

``When we'd kid him about that, he'd say, `Hey, if I didn't get back to these people, I could never cover for you all,''' Butterworth said.

Born in New Castle, Pa., Mr. Williams served in the Army in the Italian campaign during World War II. Then he earned a degree from the University of Pittsburgh and worked as a social worker in New York City schools for a few years before moving to Seattle.

Mr. Williams started teaching in 1956. He taught history and social studies at Roosevelt High School from 1960 to 1970 and was a vice principal at Chief Sealth from 1970 to 1980.

After retiring in 1982, Mr. Williams spent more time in politics. He became a member of the executive committee of the Washington State Democratic Central Committee and co-chairman of the party's affirmative-action committee.

Survivors include, besides his wife, sons Raymond, Peter and Paul, all of Seattle, three grandchildren, and a sister, Jean Lyerson of New Castle, Pa.

Remembrances may be made to the Ray Williams Scholarship Fund in care of the family.