A great man and a great trial lawyer died on April 27, the day before his 62nd birthday.
Charlie Williams was a true believer in “the cause.” He used his passion for the law to help people in need. He cared about his community and served on many boards and commissions to improve the world around him.
I last spoke with Charlie two weeks ago Thursday afternoon. He called about an issue he had with a case and that grew in to a conversation about the state of our nation. The conversation ended with a discussion about his wonderful daughter and law partner, Annie B. Charlie was (rightfully) proud of his daugher; his face would glow whenever her name was mentioned.
His obituary is set out below. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the community.
On April 27, 2006, husband, father, grandfather, attorney, and community activist, Charles Joseph Williams passed. He was born in Hampton, Virginia, in 1944 and grew up in Nashville, where he settled with his wife, Carol, and raised a family. He graduated from Isaac Litton High school in 1962, and went on to earn his B.A. degree from David Lipscomb University and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1969. He practiced law at his firm, Williams and Associates, P.C. and was instrumental in beginning the East Nashville revitalization effort known as Historic Edgefield.
As an attorney, Charlie achieved numerous honors. He was selected by his peers to receive an AV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, signifying the highest level of legal ability and adherence to professional standards of conduct. His law firm is included in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He was a Nashville Bar Association Fellow, and he earned the designation as a Certified Civil Trial Specialist from the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. He was voted one of Nashville’s Top Five Personal Injury Attorneys by the Nashville Post in 2005, and he served on the Board of Governors, President’s Club, Sustaining Member and Guest Lecturer for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He also served on the Board of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association for many years.
Charlie was also very involved in Nashville civic life. He served as co-chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Substandard Housing, as a Director of the Junior Achievement of Nashville program, as Chairman of the Warner School Land-Between-the-Lakes Program, as Founder and first President of the Historic Edgefield Neighborhood Association, as a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Industrial Development Bond Board, and as a Leadership Nashville graduate. For many years, Charlie served as Chief Counsel and Lead Negotiator for the Fraternal Order of Police in its negotiations with the Metropolitan Government. Most recently, he served on the board of the Metropolitan Nashville Sports Authority.
Charlie is survived in death by his wife of forty years, Carol Williams; daughter Annie B. Williams and son-in-law Erik Thorngren; son Charlie Williams and daughter-in-law Melissa Williams; son Anderson Williams and daughter-in-law Katie Williams; he was “Bugsy” to granddaughters Olivia Thorngren and Cora Elizabeth Williams; he is survived by mother Mary Williams; siblings Mike (Vickie) Williams, Marilyn (Ken) Switzer, Sam Williams, and Doree (Stewart) Hubbard; fourteen nieces and nephews; eighteen great nieces and nephews. In addition, Charlie will be missed by countless friends, neighbors and colleagues,
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 30, at Tulip Street United Methodist Church (522 Russell Street), officiated by Judge Barbara Haynes and Father Joe Sanchez. Visitation will be on Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-noon and 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., at the family home, 800 Russell Street.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Mid-South Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 4219 Hillsboro Pike; the Martha O’Bryan Center, 711 South 7th Street; or the Oasis Center Youth and Family Counseling, 1221 16th Avenue South.