More detail on this person: Richard C. Williams was born September 2, 1949. Rick's father, Keith, worked as a field engineer for Tektronix. Keith moved his family from Arlington, Washington, to Cleveland, then Detroit, then on to Chicago, before settling in the Portland area, where Rick graduated from Sunset High School in 1967. Following high school, Rick enrolled in the Flight Technology program at Lane Community College. He joined the Army intent on flying helicopters. While undergoing Basic Training at Fort Polk, in Louisiana, he acquired the nickname "Tuna" due to his resemblance to Star-Kist's Charlie the Tuna mascot. His Army buddies affectionately referred to him as "Tuna" for the rest of his life. Following Basic Helicopter Training, at Fort Wolters in Texas, and just prior to Advanced Helicopter Training, at Fort Rucker in Alabama, he married his high-school sweetheart, Judy Jones. They lived off-base in Fort Rucker until Rick deployed. Rick served in Vietnam, first in Can Tho; toward the end of his tour, he was moved north to Phu Bai, where he participated in Operation Lam Son 719. Rick saved the lives of many of his fellow servicemen, earning a Silver Star, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and nine other medals and commendations. After his Army service, Rick was employed as a flight instructor, assistant manager of North's Chuck Wagon, and as a debt collector for United Finance, Westinghouse Credit, and Goodyear Credit, which laid the groundwork for him to open up his own agency, Professional Collections, in 1979. Rick owned, operated and managed Professional Collections for over 25 years. Amid all his professional and entrepreneurial accomplishments, Rick liked to joke that he worked simply as a "parking lot attendant," which he did: for over 40 years, he also owned and operated_along with his son, Chris_a surface lot in the vicinity of Portland's Rose Quarter. In 2012, he began volunteering with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, rising to the top rank of Commodore. Rick was an accomplished pilot and flew private planes for half a century. He was an active member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. Within the veterans group, he reunited with pilots who he served with overseas, and forged new friendships with those he met via the organization. Rick loved his Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and rode to the annual rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, 25 times, including just earlier this year. He loved boating, as well, and enjoyed spending time at the Portland Yacht Club. With his wife, Judy, to whom he was married for 52 years, he traveled widely throughout the United States and Europe. Their most-memorable trip together, in 2000, began with a flight to London on the Concorde and concluded with a voyage home aboard the QE2. Rick's other hobbies included alpine skiing, golf, hickory golf, flying his personal aircraft and talking politics. Rick passed away, suddenly, at home, as the result of a fall, on August 11, 2022. He had just returned in high spirits from his most-recent Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Rick is survived by his wife, Judy Williams; his son, Christopher Williams; his daughter, Stephanie Zawalski; his grandsons, Logan Williams, Julien Wampler Williams, and Sammy Zawalski; his granddaughter, Zylah Zawalski; his sisters, Rhonda Williams, Rene Russell, and Rozanne Bedney; his brother, Robert Williams; and his father, Keith Williams.
This information was last updated 08/22/2022
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Date posted on this site: 07/12/2025
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