John “Red” Williams of Heffley Creek passed away on June 21, 2015 at 86 years of age.  He is survived by his loving wife Sara, son Jay (Annelise) Williams of Ottawa, grandchild Bronwyn Williams, cousins Katie Michell, daughter Susan (Jason) McGillivray and her son Ralph Michell; niece Brenda (John) Myers; nephews Geoff, Jim, and Norm Petersen. Predeceased by sister Dorothy Petersen and her spouse Ken. Red was born and raised in Kamloops, originally living at 711 Pine St. He left home in his teens, living in many places in Kamloops, before finally settling on a beautiful piece of property just north of Heffley Creek. From here, Red would create strong ties within the Heffley Creek community, which included helping to build the Heffley Creek Hall. He was a strong community member, as he served on the KXA Board and was a leader for many 4H clubs in the Kamloops region.

Red worked for the Department of National Defense as a firefighter and later for the D of D for the Navy Department. Next, he worked for the BC Building Corporation on maintenance and finally as firefighter on Tranquille until it closed. Even well into retirement, Red could always be found at the Barriere Fall Fair and the Provincial Winter Fair. He enjoyed competing alongside his son Jay or in the stands with his cousin Noel, grading the quality of stock at that year’s event. He had a strong tie with the Chinese community, as his mother spoke both Chinese and English. Being an avid marksman all of his life would lead to his greatest hobby in retirement, Black Powder shooting. His involvement with the Heffley Creek Gun Club and the local Black Powder community would utilize many of his talents and skills such as shooting, archery, knife making, leather crafts, welding and most importantly, storytelling. A jack of all trades, Red was also a talented musician. An established equestrian, Red had broke more than his fair share of horses in his life. He prided himself on his flock of sheep. His sheep breeding program produced multiple champions at various fairs he competed at. He could also fix almost anything, priding himself on his welding skills and his ability to design his own devices.  He had a memory like a museum and it was razor-sharp. Red was a good friend and neighbor who would help anyone at the drop of a hat and was loyal to all he considered his friends. Above all, Red was a loving husband, father and grandfather. The Celebration of Red’s life will take place at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 in the Calvary Temple. The family would like to offer a special thanks to the nurses on 4 North. Memorial donations in Red’s memory may be made to the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation or to the charity of your choice.