It’s difficult to write about Bob Williams as we lost him recently. He was born February 22, 1926 in Topeka, KS. His family moved to Santa Ana, CA in 1939.   He entered the US Navy in 1944.  Bob served in the Pacific during World War II, including Saipan, Eniwetok, and D-Day in Iwo Jima where he piloted a landing craft back and forth to the beaches.  After the service, Bob married his beautiful wife Virginia Head and they settled in Santa Ana, California in 1948.   Bob was a very talented artist who had a rare gift, painting portraits, landscapes, and other subjects with equal ability.  He was most widely known for his hand painted coffee mugs.  While living in California, he created several mugs for the film industry including 23 John Wayne movies for the cast and crew.  In 1963, Bob and Virginia moved their family to Mount Vernon, Washington which saw the end to his work for John Wayne.

Dave and I were very fortunate to know Bob.  Dave became a very close friend as they both lived in Washington State and both were US Navy men.  Our website is unique in that it features stories and information directly from Bob Williams that may have never been shared before.