January 3, 2024, 81, Liddell —

September 23, 1942 – January 3, 2024

Bill Austin “Duck” Williams, 81, passed away Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Duck was born in Lenoir County to the late Richard Clyde Williams and Mettie Lorraine Brinson Williams on September 23, 1942.

Following graduation from high school, Duck served in the United States Army from 1966 until his honorable discharge in August 1968. From there, he went to work at Caswell Center where he served as an Emergency Medical Technician until his retirement.

For Duck, it only took two things to make his day go well. First, everything needed to go the right way—his way. Second, plenty of Diet Dr. Pepper needed to be on hand. No matter where he went, his Diet Dr. Pepper was as close to him as his clothes, for it was his drink of choice no matter the time of day. Square nabs went well with it, too; sometimes Toast-Chee, and sometimes Nekot, but always square.

Taking out his hunting dogs and finding a covey of quail to stir was a favorite pastime in earlier years. Through all of his days, the love of classic cars filled him. Owning a ’56 Ford Victoria, a ’63 Galaxy convertible, and a ’66 F100 pickup, he was a walking encyclopedia of nearly every make and model of classic cars. Getting together with buddies of like interests, he was a member of the Carolina Classic Cruisers.

Duck loved a new car nearly as much as he did classic cars. He saw no need to keep a car for very long if something better came along. Sometimes he traded cars so often, his wife Pat sometimes wasn’t sure if it was Duck pulling in the driveway or if they were welcoming a visitor.

Though cars fell somewhere at the top of Duck’s greatest loves, they paled in comparison to his admiration for his grandchildren. Duck loved all children, yet none compared to those he called his own family. If he didn’t talk to them, he made sure that Pat told them that he loved them every day.

Trips to the mountains were always a special time for the family, and they are grateful that they had the chance to be together in the mountains in mid-December. Anytime was a good time to travel to the mountains, but especially during the fall when leaves were changing. No matter the season, mountain trips weren’t complete without a stop at Joey’s Pancakes in Maggie Valley.

A service of love and remembrance will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Rouse Funeral Home with Pastor Steve Grissom officiating. Committal with military honors will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends following the committal in the Pinelawn Mausoleum Chapel.

Duck is survived by his wife of 54 years, Pat Williams; son, Greg Williams, and wife, Annette; grandchildren, Shane Williams, Blake Williams, and Nikki Williams; and siblings, Brenda Pierce, Faye Norris, George Williams, and Ressie Paschall.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.rousefh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to

Arrangements are entrusted to Rouse Funeral Home, La Grange.