Samuel Williams

The Rev. Robert Samuel Williams, Major, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), of Pleasantville, PA died on November 5, 2025 in Erie, PA after a prolonged battle with congestive heart failure and a serious fall that led to complications.

Born in Ste. Genivieve, MO in 1940, of the highly spirited Depression-era Merlin (Moon) & Marion Williams, from an early age Williams, who went by “Sam,” was gifted with a righteous clarity on how he wanted to live his life, with honor as a Marine and a Minister.

Williams served his country in two tours in Vietnam as a Force Recon Marine and was considered an exceptionally brave and strategic leader. He was awarded the Navy Cross for leading two platoons out of a surprise “meeting engagement” with a much larger enemy force in the Cam Lo district during Operation Hastings in 1966.

Upon retiring, he became an Episcopal priest, attending seminary at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. He was called to serve God at St. Andrews in Morehead City, NC from 1984-1987, at St. John’s in Franklin, PA from 1987 to 1999 and then at St. Alban’s in McCook, NE from 19998 to 2008. Williams’ contributions to the community also extended beyond his parishes, as an active Rotary member and later in life, as a volunteer at the St. James soup kitchen. Living in eleven towns over his lifetime, Williams always vigorously embraced the landscape wherever he was through running, swimming, biking, kayaking and later in life, through walking, hiking, and hunting. His physical prowess was matched with a voracious appetite for reading and could be found nose deep in history books daily. His grandchildren politely endured many history lessons.

After the death of his beloved wife (2003) and mother of his children, formerly Sally Spore of Los Angeles, CA, and retiring from his ministry at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Nebraska in 2008, he returned to Northwestern Pennsylvania to be near his oldest daughter, Traci and grandchildren.

In 2013, at St. James in Titusville, PA, he met and married the kind-hearted Margaret (Peggy) Acel, of Hydetown, PA.

He is survived and missed by his wife Margaret (Peggy) Williams (85); his five children: Traci Burwell (61), her daughters Grace and Hannah; Tim (59), his wife Elizabeth and son Luke; Rob (57), his wife Melissa; Martha (52), her husband John; Samuel (47), his wife Amira and their children Kai and Sri; and his sister Martha Vogt (84) her husband Earl and their daughter Jane.

A public Memorial Service is scheduled for Saturday November 22, 11 AM at St. James Episcopal Church, 112 East Main Street, Titusville, PA. A light lunch will be served after the service. Donations can be made to St. James in Titusville, PA or St. Alban’s in McCook, NE in honor of Sam.

May he rest in peace with God and all his relations.