Jerry Paul Williams of Melbourne, Florida died on May 7th, 2021 at the age of 81 years. He was born October 17th, 1939 to Joseph Laverne Williams and Cleo Maye Hill in Waterloo Iowa. Jerry was the second eldest of five brothers (Joe, Dave, John Scott and Jordan) and two sisters (Susan and Jennifer). A graduate of Lincoln High School in Tacoma Washington he earned a B. A. Degree in Accounting and Finance with minors in Business Law and Literature from the University of Iowa in 1962.

Jerry met and married the love of his life Jettie G. Williams in 1977. Jerry and Jettie quickly moved south and set down roots on the beautiful space coast of central Florida where they successfully ran an electrical engineering manufacturer’s representative business and also owned and operated the Williams Realty Group real estate brokerage. Jerry had two sons, James Scott Williams and wife Melora of Whitefish, Montana and David Alan Williams and partner Lori Sytsma of Tallahassee, Florida from Joanne Williams and one daughter Ronda La Pierre and husband Bill of Melbourne, Florida from Jettie Williams.

Jerry was an accomplished athlete. On the football field he played linebacker on an Iowa Hawkeyes team that was the Big Ten co-champion and ranked No. 2 in the country. Jerry was always the fastest man on the field as well as the best athlete on the team. He was a leader personified. His high school coach, Norm Mayer said of Jerry, “in all my years of coaching, Jerry Williams is the only player I’ve ever coached or ever seen that could play all the positions on offense, all the positions on defense and handle all the kicking!” As a track athlete, he was an NCAA finalist in the 440 hurdles and in the national AAU meet in the 220 low hurdles. Jerry’s track career came to an interesting close in 1962. His younger brother, Dave, had broken almost every one of Jerry’s Lincoln High track records, but Jerry came out on top when the two raced in the 120-yard hurdles at an open meet at the University of Washington. Jerry “retired from running on the spot and gave (his) track shoes to baby brother John Scott.” Jerry was inducted into the Tacoma Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Later Jerry discovered the game of golf and played most of his adult life with a near scratch handicap alongside his wife Jettie. He even made a couple of hole-in-ones in tournaments and earned the title of Senior and Super Senior Club Champion at his home course of Baytree National Golf Links in Melbourne. Most of all, Jerry enjoyed teaching family and friends how to play the game. Jerry and Jettie also enjoyed cruising to the Bahamas. Jerry enjoyed being a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was always game to take any of the kids fishing, golfing or to lunch and dinner.

Jerry is survived by his wife Jettie G. Williams, son James Scott Williams and wife Melora of Whitefish Montana and son David Alan Williams and partner Lori Systma of Tallahassee, grandkids Jake and Mackenzie Williams of Bozeman Montana, Lauren Betancourt and husband Anthony of Ft. Lauderdale, Logan and Paige Williams of Tallahassee, Keynen La Pierre of Cocoa Beach, Aubrie and Aiden Betancourt of Ft. Lauderdale and Jackson and Samantha Sytsma of Tallahassee. He is also survived by brother Joe and wife Elaine Williams of Desert Aire Washington, sister Susan Williams and husband Dick in Seattle, brother Dave and Sherry Williams of Jacksonville, brother John Scott of Santa Ana CA, brother Jordan Williams of Seattle and sister Jennifer Williams of Seattle. Jerry was preceded in death by his daughter Ronda La Pierre and her husband Bill La Pierre of Melbourne, Florida.

At the family’s request no services will be held. Friends are encouraged to always putt straight, keep your head down while swinging and keep the ball on the fairway.