Charles Wayne Williams, 75, passed away on October 24 at his home in Columbia, South Carolina. He was born in Columbia on January 26, 1948, while his mother served as receptionist to Governor Strom Thurmond.

He was the son of the late Joseph Charles Williams of Abington, Virginia and Mary B. McQueen Williams Rogers of Mullins, South Carolina. Surviving are his wife, Kristi Hendrix Williams, daughter, Mary McQueen "MaryMac" Williams, and her husband Charles O. "Bo" Williams of Greenville, SC and son Charles Wayne "Chase" Williams, Jr., and his wife Jessica Cassidy Williams of West Columbia, SC; grandchildren Groves, Ella, Mary-Bess and Cassidy. Also surviving are his siblings: Frances Hinte of West Columbia, Jack Rogers (Samantha) of O'Fallon, IL, and Margaret "Margie" Furmage (John) of Newton, NC.

He was also close to his step-grandchildren, Pierson, Hudson, and Colton, the children of Kristi's son, Clinton Earl "Clint" Paul and his wife Cheryl Bennett Paul of Pawleys Island.
He grew up in Mullins, South Carolina, Fayetteville/Ft. Bragg, North Carolina and Waco, Texas where he finished high school in 1966. He was a 1971 graduate of The University of South Carolina with a BS degree in Banking & Finance. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and hosted numerous fraternity reunions for his lifelong friends.

Wayne worked in financial and investment enterprises during his career, holding licenses in insurance, real estate, and securities. He previously worked with Dun & Bradstreet, Merrill Lynch, and South Carolina National Bank and was a principal in several real estate ventures including partnerships which owned the Sheraton Hotel and Pavilion Apartments in Columbia. He was also President of Carolina Development Corporation which built apartments in rural communities throughout the state.

Wayne and Kristi enjoyed spending time at their second home in North Myrtle Beach where he lifeguarded and bartended during high school and college. Wayne was inducted into the Living Legends Association of Beach in 2008. He was a lover of the music and cherished his collection of R&B. He was a consummate jokester and wanted to leave his friends and family with this final word of good advice: Treat each day as your last, one day you will be right. His last words were, "Please don't be sad that I am gone but rather glad that I was here."

The memorial service for Mr. Williams will be held at 2 o'clock on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the residence.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Children's Hospital, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607, or https://donate.lovetotherescue.org .