Stephen A. (“Ted”) WilliamsJuly 24, 1937 – March 16, 2026

A true “character of the game,” Stephen A. Williams passed away peacefully at home on March 16, 2026.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in 1956. Following graduation, Stephen worked at the Stetson hat factory before proudly serving his country in the United States Air Force for four years.

In Boston, Massachusetts, he launched a successful 30-year career with the First National Bank of Boston. He began as a teller and eventually advanced to branch manager, overseeing many locations across multiple Boston neighborhoods and making countless friends during his time with the bank. Stephen raised his family in Brockton, Massachusetts, calling it home for 42 years and was active with Sacred Heart Catholic Church, putting 3 children through the school and serving in numerous leadership roles over the years including as Guild President.

After retiring in 1996, Stephen dedicated much of his time to his community and passions. He loved coaching Little League baseball and church league basketball. In his later years, he became an avid traveler; one highlight was a cross-country Greyhound bus trip with his youngest son from Boston to Portland, Oregon.

A devout Catholic, Stephen lived his faith through service. For many years, he served as a Eucharistic Minister, bringing comfort and communion to the sick at Brockton Hospital. His deep love for singing spanned over 40 years, during which he lent his voice to the choirs at Sacred Heart and Christ the King parishes in Brockton, the Ireland’s Own Choir of Brockton, and later at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Zephyrhills, FL. At St. Joseph’s, one of his proudest moments was being chosen as the cantor at the Christmas service, where he beautifully performed "Joseph’s Song."

Stephen was also a passionate sports fan. In his youth, his hitting skills earned him the nickname “Ted,” after the legendary slugger Ted Williams. He proudly boasted of attending nearly every Boston Red Sox home game during the magical 1967 season, including Game 1 of the World Series. He was also a fervid New England Patriots season ticket holder for 13 seasons, first attending games when the team played at Fenway Park.

For nearly 14 years, Stephen faced his greatest challenge with immense strength: a courageous battle with Waldenström macroglobulinemia, a form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His family remains forever grateful to the exceptional doctors and staff at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa for their dedicated care.

Stephen is survived by his loving bride of 52 years, Barbara A. Williams of Zephyrhills, FL. He was the devoted father of Jonathan (Ivy) Williams of Carmichael, CA; Timothy (Cooper) Williams of Eugene, OR; and Stephanie (Graham) Stafford of York, SC. He was the proud grandfather of four grandsons, Alex, Christian, Evan, and Ben, and was eagerly anticipating the arrival of his fifth grandson in September 2026.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated in his honor at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Zephyrhills on Friday, June 5th at 11am. A celebration of life will follow at the Zephyrhills Brewing Company.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Stephen's memory to organizations supporting homeless veterans. i.e. Father Bill’s & Mainspring in Brockton MA.