Richard Williams II, 66, dies

Friday, April 06, 2007 - by Dean Hoffman

Popular horseman Richard G. "Dick" Williams II, 66, died on Thursday, April 5, 2007, at his residence in Richmond, Ind., after a long battle with cancer.

Mr. Williams was best known for developing and racing Charlie Ten Hitch 5,1:56.3 ($677,398), winner of the 1990 Peter Haughton Memorial. He also raced such outstanding performers as Towner’s Big Guy, Raintree’s Hope, Thorpe Marge, and the noted Ohio stars Quickster, Coalmoor, Dartmoor, and Hedgerow Will.

He catch drove Young Quinn to victory in the Provincial Cup and raced Spearmint in the 1975 Hambletonian, which was won by Bonefish.

In addition to his love for harness racing, Mr. Williams enjoyed country music and writing poetry. At races and sales, he would often gather with friends such as Steve Warrington of Maryland and have a jam session. Last December Warrington traveled to Indiana to share some music and memories with him.

In recent months Mr. Williams received many cards, letters, and phone calls from his friends in harness racing.

His daughter-in-law, Donna Williams, said that just prior to his death Mr. Williams told family members that “he’d lived exactly the kind of life he wanted to and wouldn’t change much, if any, of it.”

“Laughter is what Dick wanted his friends to remember fondly about him,” said Donna. “There are few people who could tell a joke better or enjoy a joke more than Dick.”

Mr. Williams was born into a harness racing family in Indiana in 1940.

“When he was asked in interviews, he liked to say he was born in Centerville, a suburb of Abington,” his son Rich says. “It was a little joke.” Both are rural communities near Richmond.

Mr. Williams’ father enjoyed a successful career, racing such horses as Hambletonian winner Mainliner, Highland Ellen, B’Haven, Reba Byrd, Lord Steward and others before moving on to a career as a racing official.

He is survived by his wife, Lawanna Baker Williams, whom he married in 2004; daughter, Sherri Ann (Erik) Norman; son, Richard (Donna); sister, Diann (Ted) Willard; his former wife, Sharon; four stepchildren, several step-grandchildren, and two stepbrothers.

A memorial service was conducted on Monday, April 9, 2007, in Centerville, Indiana.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Reid Hospital Hospice Program, 1401 Chester Blvd., Richmond, IN 47374, to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 689, Columbus, IN 47202, or to a favorite charitable organization selected by the donor.

One of the many poems that Mr. Williams wrote about his life in harness racing was titled “Old Timer” and it closes with lines that might summarize his own career:

This ole business has sure changed since he was a pup,
Glad he’s about ready to hang it up
Can’t take much more, wouldn’t if he could
He’s glad he was there when the business was good.