Obituary: Robert (Bob) W. Williams

Robert Williams was a native Floridian, born March 24, 1929, in the Ybor City area of Tampa. One of 16 brothers and sisters, Bob knew that he did not want to stay at  his family farm. After graduation from Hillsborough High School in 1946, he served in the U.S. Army and then was accepted into the U.S. Air Force for flight school.  

A graduate of Florida Southern College with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and Rollins College with a master’s degree in school administration, Robert went on to educate students from 1956 to his retirement in 1991. Over the course of 35 years of service in the Orange County  Public Schools, he served as a teacher and coach at both Lakeview Jr.-Sr. High School and Ocoee Jr.-Sr. High School, assistant principal at Walker Junior High School and principal of Ocoee Middle School. After 20 years as the principal of Ocoee Middle School, he retired to a busy life of golf and travel. 

During his tenure at Ocoee Middle School he coined the slogan, “Ocoee Middle School, where the Best get Better,” and every morning, began the day announcements with his signature cheerful greeting, “It’s another beautiful day at Ocoee Middle School.”

Bob had at the gift of finding two wonderful women throughout his lifetime. His wife, Dorothy Williams, preceded in him in death in 1991. Together, they had their only child, Carol McGowin. Following the death of his wife, Robert met Anne Hamilton, of Winter Park, Florida, and they had a long and wonderful relationship until he fell ill with dementia.

Robert loved life, and he loved his town of Ocoee. His humor, grace, integrity and love will be missed by his sister, Gladys Bell, of Macon, Georgia; his daughter, Carol McGowin, of Winter Garden; son-in-law, Dan McGowin, of Winter Garden; and grandchildren, Valerie and Gregory McGowin, of Vero Beach, and Blacksburg, Virginia, respectively.

The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Collison Carey Hand Funeral Home, 1148 E. Plant St., Winter Garden. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden, 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden. 

You may honor Bob Williams with flowers, a donation to Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center, Orlando, or the Ocoee High School Angel Fund.