September 14, 1945 – January 3, 2014
Paul Williams, a longtime resident of San Francisco, passed away on January 3, 2014 after a 12-year struggle with kidney disease. He died in Cincinnati, the city in which he spent a large part of his youth and where most of his family still live, leaving behind four brothers, six sisters, and many nieces and nephews.
Paul graduated from a vocational high school with a major in commercial foods, an interest that led him to become a trained pastry chef. He was also a graduate of Central State University in Ohio, where he was a member of ROTC. It was this pursuit that became his career: He rose to the rank of commander in the U.S. Navy.
Here in San Francisco, many will remember Paul as a beloved member of the San Francisco FrontRunners gay and lesbian running club. He took on various roles within FrontRunners, not the least of which was opening up his comfortable home in Ingleside for all variety of club events. As a chef, Paul turned out great food at these gatherings. He was chosen as FrontRunner of the Year early in his membership with the club.
The specialness of Paul lay in a combination of drive, grace, and character on one hand and warmth, playfulness, sense of humor, and outgoing nature on the other. Those who knew him will miss that combination of strength and dynamic personality that made him both a leader and a friend.