Ira S Williams' Obituary
"To be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD"
2 Corinthians 5:8
Ira Steve Williams (affectionately known as Lightnin’ to family and close friends) stepped into the presence of the Lord on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
Lightnin’ was born on March 29, 1936, in Hillsdale, Missouri to Herman and Frankie (Stemmons) Williams.
He and his siblings were born and raised on a small farm in the Hillsdale area. He was the youngest of seven children, and he was a young boy when the family moved into Fayette.
Lightnin’ was a farmer through and through. He loved to garden and feed his farm animals, which included Belgian Draught horses named Sally, Mare, Big John and Queen.
He also worked for Larry Eaton along with his older brother George for many years. He was able to keep his horses on Eaton's farm because he did not have a place to keep them at home. He and George often brought their horses into town to help plow up their gardens or pull a wagon to haul items. His young nieces and nephews marveled at how this man, though small in stature, controlled these magnificent animals with ease, giving commands like “Come on. Get up there now” and the horses knew exactly what to do.
Though Lightnin’ never married or had children of his own, he became a guiding presence in the lives of his many nieces and nephews. When it came to teaching life skills, Lightnin’ was patient and thorough. He taught them to be self-sufficient by showing them how to plant their own gardens, pick fruit from surrounding trees, gather eggs from the henhouse, tend torabbits, pigs, chickens, and care for the livestock that provided food for his family’s table. In the summer, he enjoyed working in the hay fields alongside his brothers, George and Bill, as well as several nephews.
Woodworking was another skill Lightnin’ shared. Wood from a felled tree was used to make or mend animal pens, porches, sheds, wooden walkways, etc. He believed in the value of using what they had and demonstrated how to measure, mark, and cut the wood with steady hands. The rhythmic sound of a handsaw cutting through timber, the feel of rough bark beneath the fingertips, and the scent of fresh wood shavings made each project memorable. There were never any electrical tools used, only hand tools.
Lightnin’s appreciation for hand tools was evident in every task. He kept an assortment of them—a well-worn hammer, a set of wooden-handled chisels and screw drivers, sharp hand saws, files, and a brace and bit for drilling holes—each carefully cleaned and oiled after use. Tools were stored neatly on hooks along the shed wall, every blade gleaming and handles worn smooth from years of honest work. Watching him work meant learning not just how to use these tools, but how to take care of them.
In addition to his parents, Lightnin’ was preceded in death by his brothers George, William (Bill), Romie, and Forest Williams, and his sister Mable Boone.
He is survived by his sister Louis V. Williams of Fayette along with several nieces and nephews, as well as great, great-great, and great-great-greatnieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Second Missionary Baptist Church in Fayette, MO. on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Visitation will be from 11 o’clock am until 12:00 o’clock pm. The funeral will follow immediately after the visitation beginning at noon.
Interment will be at Mt. Woodland Cemetery in Hillsdale, Mo. A time of fellowship and repast will be held in the church basement.
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