Leslie Jefferson Williams made his final ascent to Heaven on Monday, June 11, 2018. Born in Ft. Meyers, FL in 1924 and raised in Orlando, Les was a Florida-Boy through and through. He began his lifelong love of flying in the Army Air Corp in 1938. He was a B-17 Co-Pilot and was honorably discharged at the end of WWII.
On the GI Bill, Les enrolled at Florida State University where he met and fell in love with his first wife, Joan D. Pickerill. After graduating FSU with a degree in Zoology, Les worked as a crop duster pilot in Georgia, before he and his young wife, now with two daughters, moved to San Marcos, Texas to be an Air Force flight instructor and administrator.
Les dreamed of flying for National Airlines and in 1962 he got his wish. Now with three little daughters, Les and Joan moved back to Florida and Les joined National Airlines, flying 727’s and later flew as Captain for Pan American Airlines.
Les retired as a DC-10 Captain in 1984 after 32 years of service, but he wasn’t finished yet! After retiring from Pan Am, Les was selected to be a part of the Collier County Sheriff’s Department, as an Auxiliary Deputy, first riding in cars, then flying low altitude planes, looking for drug runners. His love of flying continued with receiving his Glider Plane pilot’s license and participating in P-51 aerobatics at 86 years old.
Les married his second love of his life, Lorraine Greenlee, in September 1984. Rainey and Les lived in Leesburg, Florida and Waynesville, North Carolina. They shared a love of all things dogs and family.
Les is survived by his loving wife, Lorraine; Daughters Debbie Williams Preece and her husband, Steve; Sandi Williams Wiegand and her husband, George; Julie Evonna, Ph.D., and her spouse, Ann Thal; Sister in Law, Peggy O’Donoghue and husband, Ed, Niece, Bridgette Berglind and Husband, Luke; 4 grandchildren, David, Thomas, Haleigh and MaryGrace and one great granddaughter, Elena, and close friend, Tim Plowman.
The family would like to thank Autumn Care Rehabilitation and Nursing Home and Haywood Hospice for their excellent care of Les. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of Flowers, memorials may be made to any local Humane Society or Haywood Healthcare Foundation (Hospice in memo line of check to apply funds to Hospice), c/o The Homestead, 127 Sunset Ridge Road, Clyde, NC 28721.
The care of Mr. Williams has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes and an online memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at www.wellsfuneralhome.com
Waynesville, NC and Leesburg, FL,
Published in the Orlando Sentinel on June 13, 2018