Robert Williams

Robert Ace Williams, Jr., passed away August 19, 2018, at Gentle Care Nursing Home with his family at his side.Ace was born in Vincennes, IN, the son of Robert Ace Williams, Sr. and Alma Alice (Stone) Williams on March 16, 1948.He was a graduate of Lincoln High School, and Vincennes University. His employment began as a teenager at the Vincennes Dairy Queen. During the summers, he drove the Ice Cream Truck and was known as the "Dilly Bar Man". He was famous for a Vincennes Sun-Commercial photo, showing him leaning out of the truck feeding a Dilly Bar to a local dog. The dog's owner said that as soon as it heard the ice cream music, the dog would jump the fence and wait for his Dilly Bar. She said that he never left the yard except to get his Dilly Bar. During his college years, Ace worked at Osco Drug in the camera department. Later he worked at WT Grant, and the Waffle House as assistant manager. Ace became co-owner of the Alice Town Restaurant.On April 6, 1968, he married his high school sweetheart, Madonna Tolliver. They set up a home in Vincennes, and he began employment at Essex Wire. He retired 25 years later as a Maintenance Supervisor. He then began working with Hane Technologies, teaching industrial maintenance classes in hydraulics and pneumatics. Ace really enjoyed travelling the United States, teaching in-service classes to mechanics and engineers, mostly at automotive manufacturing facilities.In his spare time, Ace enjoyed following his son in the extra-curricular sports of wrestling and football throughout his high school career. He helped his 16 year old daughter become a 1st degree Black Belt and an instructor in Tae Kwon do, while achieving a 2nd degree Black Belt and becoming an instructor himself. A member of the Vincennes Gun Club, he enjoyed hunting dove and trap and target shooting. He enjoyed teaching his children and grand-children gun safety, and the enjoyment of target shooting. In fact, he purchased his great-grandsons their first guns before they were born. Ace especially enjoyed cruising the Caribbean, and his wife was very happy to accompany him. He said that sleeping on a cruise was the best sleep he ever got.Surviving is his wife, Madonna Williams; his son, Nicholas Williams; his daughter, Brooke Williams - Gardner and her husband, Ward, of Odessa, TX; grandchildren, Jacob and Samantha Williams of Shelbyville, IN, Logan Williams of Shelbyville, IN and Paige and Braden Gardner of Odessa, TX; his great-grandchildren, Wesley and Henry Williams of Shelbyville, IN; a sister, Cyrilla Williams of Vincennes, IN; a sister-in-law, Catherine Tolliver of Vincennes, IN; and a brother-in-law, Steve Tolliver and his wife, Carla, of Plainfield, IN.Preceding him were his parents; a son, Jason Anthony Williams; a sister, Charlotte Shaner; brother-in-law, Keith Tolliver; his father-in-law, Donald Tolliver; a niece, Joann Shaner; and a nephew, Russell Williams.There will be a gathering of friends and family from 5:00 - 8:00 on Thursday, at Goodwin Funeral Home. A celebration of his life will begin at 8:00 on Thursday, at the funeral home.Donations may be made to the Vincennes Gun Club. Online condolences may be sent to the family through goodwinfamilyfh.com.