Stanley Eugene Williams

Stanley Eugene Williams, age 74, of England, went to be with the Lord as the sun was getting low on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021. “Hard Rock”, as he was known to many, was born on July 21, 1946 near Altheimer, AR to Donald Eugene and Oca McElroy Williams. He grew up on the farm in Ellison and could often be seen riding Old Smokey up and down the levee along the bayou. After graduating Altheimer High School in ’64, he went to UA at Monticello and married Barbara Hobson of Ferda on Dec. 24, 1966. His studies were cut short by the Vietnam War, however, as he was drafted into the Army in the fall of 1967. He fought in the 101st Airborne and was his commander’s preferred “Point Man” when on patrol.

Upon returning home from the war, he and first wife Barbara and newborn son Eric settled in Keo where he worked for Mr. F. H. Lyons, Sr. for several years. After their divorce, Stanley became a farm chemical sales representative, traveling the Delta until he quit that job in 1983 to do what he really loved - farming and ranching.

Around that time he met Peggy Wood, and later married her on Dec. 30, 1983. They lived in England those early years. These were some of the happiest times, with weekdays spent working hard in the fields and weekends spent pulling Jay and Eric behind the Rebel Rocket on the river at Wright. After the boys graduated, Stan and Peggy renovated and moved out to his parents’ old homestead on Plum Bayou near Ellison. In 2004 he had his first brush with cancer, but survived and thrived. Over the years he had several relapses but each time he defied the doctors’ expectations, living nearly 16 more years than first predicted. He was a pillar of strength and a fighter in every sense of the word.

After his health problems, he scaled back the farming and focused on raising cows, returning to Keo to work the very same green pastures he had worked some 40 years earlier. And after nearly 20 years on the bayou, he and Peggy moved back to England to be closer. As the years went by, “Hard Rock” softened to “Papa Rock”, and Peggy became “Sweetie” with the birth of little Dane.

Stanley is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of nearly 35 years, Peggy, and his brother Bobby Don Williams. He is survived by his son Eric Williams (Justin) of Dallas, TX; step-son Jason Martin (Amber) of England; brothers James Williams (Mary Ann) of Pine Bluff and Marvin “Bear” Williams of Sherrill; and sisters Linda Watts of Conway and Pamela Mauldin (Ronny) of Conway; and grandson Dane Adams Martin of England, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p. m., Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at Wilson Robison Funeral Home in England. Graveside services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 8, 2021 at Mulberry Cemetery in England. Wilson Robison Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements. Pallbearers are Michael Williams, Jim “Dub” Williams, Reece Daniels, Maurice Daniels, Randall Webb, and Curt Anderson. Honorary pallbearers are Harold Anderson, Danny Murdock, Ronnie Reed, Gary Gatlin, and Ronnie Robinson.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516 or Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) , Lifetime Member  Post 4455, PO Box 6455, Pine Bluff, AR 71611.

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