Kevin E. Williams

Kevin E. Williams passed away surrounded by family on November 29, 2019, after a short illness.  Kevin was born in 1957, to Eddie and Joyce (Nagle) Williams.  He was lovingly raised by his maternal grandparents, Harold and Mildred Nagle, while lovingly tormenting his younger Uncle Bill.  He is proceeded in death by his parents, grandparents, and his sister, Crystal.  He is survived by his wife Joyce, who he met while attending Kansas State University, children Erik and Kara, his Uncle Bill (Tricia) Nagle, numerous cousins, and 3 grandchildren.

Kevin and Joyce met square dancing.  Kevin said he scoffed at the idea of square dancing until his fraternity brother told him there would be girls there.  He then said, “let’s go!”  He certainly met a girl, Joyce, and they continued this dance called life through the next 40 years.

Kevin always set goals and achieved them with great gusto in his career, as well as life.  His latest goal was to run 100 marathons in his lifetime.  In the last 6 years, he had traveled all over the world and United States, completing in over 40 marathons, with his greatest cheerleader, Joyce, by his side.  His latest adventure was traveling to Switzerland to run 26.2 miles up a mountain and to Colorado for the Colorado Springs Marathon, where his grandchildren also competed in the children’s races.  Joyce wrote, “I often joked that Kevin thought he was superman.  He believed that nothing was impossible.  Work 12 hours, then run 10 miles?  Done!  Run 26 miles up a mountainside?  Done!!  Kevin's strong will never quit.  This amazing man wasn't really a superhero.  But he believed in setting the standard high, and he was MY hero.”

Kevin’s last job was serving as the Director for Studies, Analyses and Assessments, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.  He was responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for leading, carrying out, reviewing and ensuring the analytic integrity of studies, analyses, and assessments across air, space and cyberspace domains for the Department of the Air Force.  He implemented Air Force-wide policy and guidance for studies, analyses, and assessments to provide comprehensive, defendable, and time-sensitive processes that underpinned Air Force warfighting and force structure decisions and assessments.

Kevin received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps.  He began active duty in 1980 with undergraduate pilot training at Williams AFB, Arizona.  As an operational fighter pilot in the A-10, F-16 and F-111, he had flying and command assignments in Iraq, England, South Korea, and the United States.  He retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 2005 and was appointed to the Senior Executive Service the same year.  In total, he served the people of the United States and the Department of Defense with honor and distinction for nearly 40 years.

His tremendous efforts will ensure the Air Force benefits from the shaping of analysts who are ready to take on the toughest warfighting challenges of the future and provide meaningful contributions for decades to come.  Kevin will be missed by his military family as well as his biological family and friends.  He will forever be remembered as a man who never lost the “little boy” twinkle in his eye when he was being mischievous or ornery. 

Kevin will be laid to rest at a later date in Arlington Cemetery, alongside all our military heroes.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Wreaths Across America.  These wreaths symbolize a commitment to remember and honor our nation’s veterans through the laying of wreaths on the graves of our country’s fallen heroes.  The website is www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.