John P. Williams, 66, of 52 Barbara Avenue, a Truck Driver, died Saturday in UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake Ave, after a short illness. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mrs. Joan (Riordan) Williams; three sons: Michael J. and his wife, Kaidi (Chiao) Williams, of Paris, France, Stephen P. Williams, of Worcester, Sean P. Williams, of New York City, New York; and his daughter, Susan, and her husband, Christopher Palma, of Guilford, CT.; four loving grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. A brother, James V. Williams, and a sister, Julie Vessalla, predeceased him.

He was born in Worcester, the son of the late John S. and Grace (Gorman) Williams. He was raised and educated in Worcester. He is a graduate of Saint Stephen’s High School.
Mr. Williams was a truck driver, and worked for several trucking companies in the area, including Roadway Express, Ryder Trucking and most recently Yellow Freight, from which he retired in 2000.

Mr. Williams proudly served his country as a member of the U.S. Army. He enjoyed crossword puzzles, was an avid sports fan, and especially loved playing with his four grandchildren: Maeve, Joey, Nia and Audrey.