Roger L. Williams

Roger L. Williams, 74 of Marengo, IA passed away of natural causes October 9th, 2023, while in the care of the V.A. Hospital of Iowa City, IA, surrounded by family.

Born May 5th, 1949 to Myrna (Mense) Clouse and Lafond “Bud” Williams in Menomonie, WI, Roger graduated from Wittenberg schools in 1967.

He proudly served his country in the United States Army, 101st Airborne Division, Screamin’ Eagles from 1968 to 1975.

Roger retired from the University of Iowa Hospitals where he worked as a biomechanical engineer for many years.

Though Roger was not able to do as much in his last few years, he loved to experiment with photography, capturing the world around him. He was a gifted gardener and enjoyed growing unique and challenging plants. Fishing was one of his many passions and he spent a great deal of time at Hannen Lake in Benton County, IA, and on the banks of the Iowa River.

Anyone who knew Roger understood that his passions and hobbies were ever changing. Any hobby he ever pursued was with intensity and fervor. He was a brilliant man that did his research on anything that fascinated him and could talk your ears off about his latest adventures. He was an aficionado of many types of music including reggae, blues and the relaxing melodies of the Hawaiian Islands. In his many travels, Roger especially enjoyed spending time on the island of Kauai, HI, where he immersed himself among the local people and culture.

Roger is survived by his brother, Reese Phillips of St. Paul, MN; five children, Marcia Williams of WI, Rachel Williams of Iowa City, IA, Amy Williams of Polson, MT, Alyson Williams of Lawrence, KS, and Shane (Christina) Williams of Springfield, OH; 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren; friend, Brenda Huber of Des Moines, IA; and friends and family around Marengo, Iowa and the Chippewa Valley in Wisconsin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Myrna (Mense) Clouse and Lafond “Bud” Williams; step-father, Roger D. Clouse; sister, Rika Rae Williams; 1st wife, Rebecca (Culver) Paine; 2nd wife, Elizabeth L. Lane; and grandson, Jaksen Christopher.

As an organ donor, Roger's eyes were donated to science to help advance techniques in treating blindness.

A ceremony in memory of Roger Lafond Williams will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 21 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Justin Arnold will be officiating.

He will be cremated, and private burial will occur at a later date at Fall City Cemetery.

Donations in lieu of flowers are asked to be made to Systems Unlimited of Iowa County for residents’ recreational activities. To donate, go to go to www.sui.org and then click the donation button.