Reverend Arthur Lenwood Williams Jr

The Reverend Arthur Lenwood Williams, Jr. (Fr. Len) went peacefully into his eternal rest on May 13, 2024, surrounded by loving family and friends. Len was born in Charleston, SC on November 8, 1940, to Arthur and Belva Williams. He graduated from Moultrie High School and Wofford College. He pursued graduate studies at the Citadel while teaching for the Charleston County School District. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Theological seminary in Kentucky. After teaching high school, he worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Abbott Laboratories. It was during this time of his life that he strongly received the calling to the priesthood. He served parishes in Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, and to all the world, as chaplain to the seafarers in the port of Charleston with the Charleston Port and Seafarers Society ministry. The times in his ordained ministry that meant so much to him were serving as chaplain to Camp Bratton Green in the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi in their special needs children’s program. Early in his ministry he served as vicar of a struggling mission church in Mississippi. Due to the support and commitment of the St. Timothy’s congregation, the church was relocated to a new site in Southaven, MS where a beautiful church structure, including a family life center was constructed and soon grew into a full fledged and thriving parish. In his retirement, Len took tremendous pride in being part of the Seafarers ministry. He served as chaplain to the Port of Charleston with a core of devoted volunteers, providing for the spiritual and physical needs of the seafarers who visited Charleston from around the world, without regard to race, ethnicity, politics, or religion. In this role he also participated in the Mt. Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet for seventeen years. He also served as chaplain to the mission team for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina in the Dominican Republic. Throughout his career Len served on several boards in Mississippi. Among his many awards was Chaplain of the Year by the North American Maritime Ministry Association, Volunteer of the Year by the town of Mt. Pleasant, Maritime Person of the Year by the Propeller Club of Charleston. The seafarers’ center on the Hugh Leatherman Port Terminal was also kindly named for Fr. Len. Fr. Len is survived by his wife Angela, sons, Alex Williams (Jennifer), Christopher Williams, daughter, Victoria Dyess (Jeremy), stepdaughter Meagan Raney, grandchildren, McKenzie and Preston Dyess, Jackson and Lander Williams, his sister, Marlene Seaborn, nieces Mary Lynn Howard (Troy), nephew Charles Holder, nephew Wayne Holder (Sheila) and niece Lauren Seaborn. Len was predeceased by his parents, first wife Deborah, sister Mary Ann Holder, brother-in-law Charles Holder, and brother-in-law Robert Seaborn. Fr. Len’s celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 11:00am at Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth Street in Charleston with a reception immediately following in the church’s Hanahan Hall. Interment will be private and at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Fr. Len’s honor to: The Charleston Port & Seafarers Society PO Box 2442 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465 charlestonseafarers.org or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 stjude.org/donatetoday