Robert “Tommy” Thomas Williams, age 84, of Florence, passed from his earthly home on Thursday, January 2, 2025. Visitation will be Saturday, January 4th from 12:00 noon until 2:00 pm at Williams Funeral Home of Florence. The service will follow at 2:00 pm in the funeral home chapel with Brother Keith Pope and Harold Hammond officiating. A private entombment will be scheduled at a later date at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens.
He was born in Clarksville, Tennessee to the late Isham and Hilda Williams, later moving to Florence, Alabama where his father was the Lock Engineer at Wilson Dam.
Tommy graduated from Coffee High School, obtained an associate degree in Police Science from John C. Calhoun State Community College and attended the University of Alabama, Huntsville. After graduating Coffee High School, he joined the United States Army in January 1958, and served in the Military Police Unit in Germersheim, Germany and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, where he was honorably discharged in June 01961.
From 1962 to 1966, Tommy served the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy Sheriff before becoming an Alabama State Trooper in 1966. He rose through the ranks, serving throughout the State of Alabama and retiring as District Commander of Troop A of the Highway Patrol Division, Quad Cities in 1996. After retirement, he served as a Corporate Security Officer, Colonial Banc Group, Montgomery, Alabama.
Tommy’s retirement years were best served in his service to God, his church, where he was a founding member of Grace Bible Church of the Shoals and served as a Deacon, many mission projects and spending time with his family and friends.
He leaves behind to cherish the memories, his wife of 56 years, Paulette Wiley Williams, his son, Shannon (Erin) and his two precious grandchildren, Nora Catherine Williams and Noah Thomas Williams. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Williams Paulicivic (George, Sr.); nephew, George Paulicivic (Meredith) and family; a niece, Glorianna Flurey (Dan) and family as well as many friends and coworkers. In-lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306) or Samaritan Purse (801 Bamboo Rd, Boone, NC 28607).
