James Theodore Williams, 88 years old, died peacefully Friday, April 30^th, 2021 at his home in Kemah, Texas with his wife Lilianna by his side.

Jim was born on December 13, 1932 in Marlow, OK and was the youngest of nine children born to Albert Vance Sr. and Bertha Elizabeth (Gordon) Williams. He grew up in Woodward, OK, graduated from high school in 1951, attended A&M College, Stillwater, OK and served in the military as a Sergeant at Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX. In 1955, Jim married Lois Carpenter, started his family and finished his education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, OK where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Mathematics and Industrial Arts. After graduating, he worked as a chemist at Skelly Oil Refinery in El Dorado, KS.

In the early 1960’s, Jim was recruited by the original founders of Sonic Drive-In. Jim saw an opportunity with the young company, borrowed money, and invested in his first restaurant in El Dorado, KS. Setting ever-expanding goals for himself, he moved his family to Iola, KS in 1966 to open his second drive-in, and continued to invest in Sonics, eventually owning restaurants throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana. He saw the perfect market in small mid-western communities overlooked by other fast-food restaurants and where commercial property was affordable. Sonic quickly became a family outing, a social place for teenagers, or an inexpensive alternative to cooking a meal. In 1969, Jim contemplated the idea of taking Sonics internationally and took his family to live in Australia for several months. By the early 1970’s Sonic’s rapid growth made it necessary to establish corporate offices in Oklahoma City, OK and in 1975, Jim moved his family once again and became Vice President of Operations for half of the United States.

After over two decades, Jim and Sonic parted ways though he still had sole ownership or partnership interest in restaurants across the Midwest. Always the entrepreneur, this gave him flexibility to expand into other areas. His life-time business ventures included oil drilling, Mexican food restaurants, seafood and steakhouse dining, an apartment complex, video stores across Oklahoma and Arkansas, sub sandwich shops in Texas, a radio station and a mining operation in Peru.

Jim married Liliana Archibald in 1985, and the couple moved to Kemah, Texas. During the last three decades of his life, he split his time between his two homes in Kemah, TX and Lima, Peru. He and Liliana traveled the world, visiting every continent (except Antartica) and a multitude of countries. He deeply loved work, adventure, any sporting event, a good cigar, and his family.

He is survived by his wife, Lilianna Williams of the home; his 4 children: Tedi Posladek (Scot) of Lenexa, KS, Tamara Williams of Worcestershire, England, Teresa Svedman (Dave) of Oklahoma City, OK, Doug Williams of Oklahoma City, OK, his stepson Frank Archibald of Denver, CO; 6 grandchildren: Jordan Svedman, Shawn Megan Williams (EJ), Jake Svedman, Tanner Williams, Matthew Posladek (Ashlyn) and Noah Posladek; 3 great-grandchildren: Tyler and Naomi Svedman, Cyrus Williams; other relatives and friends.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Albert Vance (Sr) and Bertha Elizabeth Williams; and siblings: Doris May Baransy, Joe Gordon Williams, Ok Guy Williams, Lahoma Ann Grunewald, Dixie Mildred Williams, Donna Elizabeth Crane, Albert Vance Williams (Jr), and Patricia Nell Hendren.

In memory of Jim, the family suggests donations to The Gary Sinise Foundation, PO Box 368, Woodland Hills, CA, 91365 or online at garysinisefoundation.org/donate.