Rev. David Charles Williams, 83, of Oak Park Illinois died on May 13, 2024.
Dave was passionate about the God of the Bible. A Reformed Christian theologian, Dave loved to teach the truth of scripture. His whole adult life was dedicated to sharing God and pastoring his church community and family.
Born in Chicago on March 4, 1941, Dave and his family moved to Oak Park in 1951. Dave was a proud Oak Park and River Forest High School alumni, graduating in 1959 from the school which his mother, siblings, niece, and nephew all attended. After high school, he attended and graduated from Millikin University and then attended the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He also attended the University of North Wales and The University of Oxford Harris Manchester College.
While at The Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, he became close to his professor, Dr. John Gerstner and met R. C. Sproul who became a lifelong friend. He also was close to James Montgomery Boice, pastor of Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church.
Following his ordination, Dave started his ministry in Pitcairn, Pa in 1967 at the Presbyterian Church of Pitcairn. During his tenure, the congregation overwhelmingly voted to leave the United Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) and join the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He also supported the church’s outreach and service to the community of Pitcairn. In addition Dave helped organize the Philadelphia Conference of Reformed Theology with James Montgomery Boice.
In 1984, Dave moved back to Oak Park to be close to his family and continued to spread the word and teach the truth of scripture. He started a small group Bible study which grew in numbers and because of his guidance was able to continue for a number of years on their own. The friendships made have lasted as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Dave has always loved the city and spending time enjoying downtown Chicago where he became acquainted with a group of professionals who had started a PCA church that met in rented spaces in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Dave became their pastor in February of 1985, and in 1993 they purchased the former All Saints Cathedral in the Bucktown neighborhood where they remain today as Covenant Presbyterian Church. Dave retired from Covenant and was asked to assist and mentor young pastors in dealing with pastoral issues. He was then called to Westminster Presbyterian PCA Church and School in Elgin, IL where he served from 2007 to 2016.
When he retired again, his work was not done. He continued in service by supporting and encouraging a Covenant church plant, Boulevard Presbyterian Church, which started services on September 24, 2017. They rented a sanctuary on Scoville Ave in Oak Park. In March 2021, they purchased their current building at 607 Harvard Street in Oak Park where he has attended to the present.
Dave was proud of his Welsh heritage, loved to take trips to Wales to visit relatives who still live there, and was a longtime member of the Welsh Cambrian Benevolent Society.
Dave is preceded in death by his parents, Marge and Dick Williams, brother Bob Williams, sister-in-law Betty Kraakevik Williams and nephew Richard Gonzalez. He is survived by his sister, Margaret Williams Gonzalez and brother-in-law Arthur Gonzalez, brother Larry Williams and sister-in-law Mary Marsh Williams, niece Margaret Gonzalez, nephew Arthur Gonzalez, nephew Grif Williams, niece Amy Williams Johnson, and grandnieces and nephews Noah Gonzalez, Alyssa Gonzalez, and Richie Gonzalez, Catherine, Annabel and Elizabeth Johnson and great grandnephew Aiden Weir Gonzalez.
There will be a memorial service for David Williams at Covenant on June 27 at 1pm. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall.