Douglass Glennford Williams

DOUGLASS GLENNFORD WILLIAMS was born on September 4, 1929. He was quick to point out that it’s Douglass with two “S’s”, Glennford with two “N’s” and Williams with two “L’s”, he wanted to make sure you got it just right! On December 11, 2025, at the age of 96, Douglass transitioned peacefully leaving behind a legacy of creativity, purpose and unforgettable charm. He had a long and blessed life and was well loved. As a child, he had a very special bond with his mother and often spoke of their special times together and how she inspired his love of reading and cooking. He spoke proudly of how she made everything from scratch. He also spent a lot of his childhood with his aunt Fannie who was like a second mother to him. She was a cook at the Maryland Governor’s mansion at one time and would sometimes take him to work with her, so he had the unique experience of spending time there. He was a veteran having served in the Korean War as a U.S. Army sergeant. We are so grateful God allowed him to return safe and sound. After leaving the Army he attended Morgan State University where he met his future wife, Delores. Their union produced two daughters. He later married Ruth Hunter who sadly passed away from cancer. He had a distinguished career in HR and Benefits with various employers such as the Social Security Administration, The United Way and Bowie State University. He also had a career in life insurance and broke barriers as one of the first black agents with his company. He was proud of his Caribbean, African and Irish heritage. He was well traveled, having had the privilege of visiting four of the seven continents including Africa, Ireland where some of his maternal ancestry was from and Trinidad where his paternal side of the family was from. Family was very important to him. He was a loving and doting father, amongst many wonderful memories one of his daughters’ fondest one is of him taking them ice skating and going for hot chocolate and pancakes afterwards. He was also a very loving grandfather and great grandfather. GG Dad as he was affectionately called. And he called all of his girls either “Babydoll” or “Lady Bug”. He was truly the definition of a renaissance man. He was very creative and could make art out of just about anything. He wrote poetry and had an amazing singing voice. He performed with various senior groups in his later life as well as the men’s choir in his earlier days at Bethel AME church where he was member. He was known for his signature big endings on every song. And he would break out in song just about anywhere. The world was his stage! And he never stepped out without looking his absolute best which earned him the nickname “Dapper Dan”. He was preceded in death by his mother Thelma Dent, father George Williams, sisters Donna Young and Carol Ann Young, and his wife Ruth. He is survived by his daughters, Roianne Williams and Rana Davis; grandchildren, Keonne Sullivan-Johnson (Ronald), Von Douglas, Bianca Davis and Evan Davis; great-grandchildren, Corvon Burgess, Gianni Mack and Keegan Lee; sisters, Yvonne Parran and Clarissa Prestbury; spiritual sons, Bernard Robinson, William McClure, William “Billy” Green and Kim Chase; and a host of other family and friends. We send special thanks to his devoted aides, Vernessa Lewis and Tasha Brown, who became like family. We also want to acknowledge the caring staff at the Veterans Administration hospice unit. We are forever grateful for the love, wisdom, and laughter he brought into our lives. He had a very kind, generous and jovial spirit. He touched everyone he met. His legacy will live on in every story shared, every song sung, and every act of kindness inspired by his example. Rest well, you had a long journey, and you did it your way! You will forever live on in all of our hearts, and we will always love you.

Tributes

Douglass Glennford Williams

September 4, 1929 - December 11, 2025