Benton County Memorial Park

L. Wayne Williams passed away July 29, 2020 at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, Arkansas. He was born November 28, 1936 in Wichita Falls, Texas to Marie and R.T. Williams. He grew up in Texas but moved his family to Bentonville, Arkansas in 1973. He had many occupations throughout his 83 years, but his favorite was long-distance truck driver. He loved the open road and going new places. He co-owned a farm supply store with his father in the Texas panhandle and owned a NAPA auto parts store in Bentonville. He never met a stranger, and introduced himself to everyone he saw. He loved music and always had a song on his breath, usually half-humming and half-singing to himself as he went about his day. He is survived by his wife, Mardema “Marcy” Fisher Williams; his three daughters, LaDonna Shub of Bentonville, Arkansas; Lesa Rohrer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Laurie A. Williams of New Orleans, Louisiana; Marcy’s three sons, Stuart Thomas, III; Russell Thomas; Gregory Thomas; plus fourteen grandchildren and five great-grandsons. A private funeral service will be held at a later date. The family wishes memorial contributions be made to Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, Arkansas. Because he sang to the radio all the time, especially in the car, his fingers keeping time on the steering wheel, here is a last goodbye medley for our dad from three of his favorite songs: Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” Marty Robbins’ “The Streets of Laredo” (sung by Eddy Arnold), and Kris Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Cento for Dad Beat the drum slowly Play the fife lowly I left my home in Georgia Trailers for sale or rent Headed for the Frisco Bay Because there’s something about a Sunday Makes a body feel alone Rooms to let, fifty cents This two thousand miles I roamed I’m a man of means by no means Soon I’ll be heading home I can’t do what ten people tell me to do So I guess I’ll remain the same King of the road Beat the drum slowly Play the fife lowly In the park I saw a daddy With a laughing little girl He was swinging No phone, no pool, no pets And it took me back to something (I ain’t got no cigarettes) That I’d lost somehow Somewhere along the way Beat the drum slowly Play the fife lowly I’m a man of means by no means On a sleepy city sidewalk Watching the ships roll in Sunday morning coming down sitting on the dock of the bay Wasting time On the sleepy city sidewalk Watch them roll away again King of the road No more will I roam Sunday morning coming down