Malcolm J. Williams

Malcolm Williams, 97, Syracuse, passed away after a short illness on January 29, 2017 at the Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester.

He was born in Howard County on August 7, 1919 to Clyde and Zelpha Williams. When he was five, his mother died, leaving him and his three siblings. His father married Cecile and the family moved to Swayzee, Indiana, where Malcolm’s father farmed. Clyde and Cecile had five children, combining with the four children from Clyde’s first marriage as well as three children from Cecile’s first marriage. Malcolm graduated from Swayzee High School in 1937.

Malcolm enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Cadet in June of 1942. During one particularly severe anti-aircraft barrage, one member of the crew was wounded and the Catalina PBY was forced down into open sea off shore from a Japanese held base. The crew spent three days in life rafts paddling to avoid capture. He later became a Lieutenant (JG) and received his pilot’s license.

Malcolm left service in 1946 and returned to Swayzee to farm with his father. He married his sweetheart Shirley in 1952.  Malcolm farmed his whole business life in Swayzee and became one of the larger grain and livestock farmers in Central Indiana. He continued his farm operation until retiring in 1986.

Frequent visitors of Lake Wawasee since the 1940s, Malcolm and Shirley purchased a lake home there in 1980 and retired to it in 1986. Malcolm spent many mornings working out at Lakeside Fitness in Syracuse and playing golf at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Leslie Williams; brothers, Tence Williams, Les Boswell, and Willis Boswell; and his sisters, Ruth Anna Williams, Faye Williams, Mary Frances Powell, Joan Shellen, and Naomi Porter.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley; son, Doug (Eileen); granddaughters, Ellie (Will) James and Megan Williams; and great-grandson, Malcolm James as well as his sisters Juanita Comer, Susie Gavin, and Madonna Scott.

Malcolm will be buried in Marion in a private service. Friends and family are invited to attend A Celebration of Life at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 4, 2017 at the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, Leesburg. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation (www.kidney.org).

Arrangements entrusted to Raven-Choate Funeral Home, 1202 Kem Road, Marion,Indiana.

Online condolences may be made at www.ravenchoate.com