Born in Morrisville, Virginia in 1923, Williams was the son of a police officer and a farm wife.
[1] He joined the United States Army Air Forces at age 17 and served during World War II, including as a survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
He then began the private practice of law in Richmond, Virginia from 1951 to 1972, becoming a founding partner in the firm that would later be known as McGuireWoods.
[1] In 1972, Williams was selected as a judge of the circuit court of the City of Richmond.
[2] His service terminated on February 19, 2011, due to his death of natural causes at his home in Richmond.