SUMTER – Kenneth “Bo” Lee Williams, Jr., 78, beloved husband of fifty-one years to Janice Wood Williams, died on Friday, January 21, 2022, at his home.

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina on January 8, 1944, Bo was the son of the late Kenneth Lee Williams, Sr., and Mary Lee Blanton Williams.  Bo served in the Navy during the Vietnam War before returning home to North Carolina.  Six months after meeting the love of his life, Janice, on a blind date in Greensboro, North Carolina, Bo married Janice on December 31, 1970.  After marriage, Bo and Janice moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where they reared three boys and a beautiful girl. The family moved to Sumter in 1989.  Before retirement, Bo spent his professional career in sales.

Bo loved history, politics, classic cars, South Carolina Gamecock football, Willie Nelson, fishing, and his newspapers.

Surviving, in addition to Janice, are four children, Kenneth Lee Williams, III, of Asheville, NC; Andrew “Drew” R. Williams and his wife Tracy of Columbia; Jonathan B. Williams and his wife Stephanie of Columbia; and Mary Lyn Williams of Sumter; and five grandchildren, Maisy, Nathan, Mia, Ella, and Ian.  Bo is also survived by his sister Penny Williams and her husband Mike of Cary, NC; his sister Candy Roper and her husband Asa of Greensboro, NC; his brother Tim Williams and his wife Beth of Charlotte, NC; and former daughter-in-law and family friend Meredith Kennedy of Columbia, SC.

An interment with military honors will be held at the Ft. Jackson National Cemetery at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 4, 2022.  Vaccinated family and friends will be received following the interment at Jonathan and Stephanie’s home in Columbia.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alston Wilkes Society, which rebuilds the lives of homeless veterans and others at risk in our community, at 3519 Medical Drive, Columbia, South Carolina 29203.

https://www.bullockfuneralhome.com/obituary/KennethBo-WilliamsJr

Bill Womack -- January 22, 2022

It is with a very heavy heart I am entering this very sad information. We became best of friends when Bo moved to Greensboro from Charlotte and started Kiser in the 8th grade. We have remained very close friends all these years talking weekly. So many trips to cruise the "Castle" and eating lunch every day after going to GREENSBORO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, it is still not Grimsley to us. I have loved him for so many years and we tell each other that after getting much older. It is a very important thing to tell friends as you never know when the last time you may see them. I had just told him on Wednesday when we talked. Bo had been having treatments for years for the cancer he had but died from a cardiac arrest Rest in Peace my friend--I LOVE YOU Bill

https://www.bullockfuneralhome.com/obituary/KennethBo-WilliamsJr