Even if you never met James W. Williams (better known as “Pud”) you may have heard him.  He had strong opinions and a loud voice that could be heard above all others on the golf course, and at Clear Lake High School, where he taught and coached for more than 25 years.

But now that voice is silenced.

Coach Williams, 77, a long-time coach at Clear Lake High School and sports enthusiast, died of congestive heart failure March 25 at his home in Clear Lake.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Maurine Corns Williams – who he lovingly called St. Maurine for her ability to accept and love his larger-than-life persona; two children, Cheryl Williams of Houston and Jerry Williams of Clear Lake; three grandchildren, Noah, Chloe and Maddox Williams; and three step-grandchildren, Cale, Paige and Branden Winningham;  his sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Bob Freeman, and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Alice and Bill Williams and brother, Bill Williams, Jr.

Pud was born in 1940 in Troup and in 1943 moved to Lake Jackson, where the Williams family were among the founding families.  Growing up there, he played football, basketball and baseball at all levels, and his father coached Jimmy and his Little League baseball team to many league championships. Lake Jackson friends remained near and dear to his heart. He graduated from Brazosport High School and attended Southwest Texas State University, where he met the love of his life, Maurine. His service in the U.S Marine Corps from 1961-64 included a trip to Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Though the crisis ended before his ship arrived, he and fellow Marines served the vital role of delivering beer to those at the U.S. staging island Viagas.

After completing his military service and degree at SWT, he and Maurine moved to Webster to begin their Clear Creek ISD careers. He taught P.E. and coached basketball and football at Webster Intermediate and then moved to Clear Creek High School to work alongside Bill Krueger. While there, many lifelong friendships began.

In 1972, George Carlisle recruited Pud as a grade level counselor and the golf coach at the new high school “on the other side of the lake.” He coached boys golf and was the counselor for numerous Falcons in his 25 years at Clear Lake High School. His golf teams won a multitude of District and Regional titles and competed for the state title in 1990. As the announcer and “Stat Man” for Coach Krueger’s boys basketball teams, he could be heard cheering and “advising the team” at countless games including the 1988-89 State Championship team. He was inducted into the Clear Lake High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996. Coach Williams then moved back into the classroom to teach American history in his favorite Jeopardy game-show style. “I’ll take American History for $400, Mr. Williams….”

Upon retiring in 1997, he joined the South Shore Harbour Country Club, where he developed many friendships and devoted his full attention to improving his golf game. The pinnacle of his golf career was his hole-in-one on #13 at Bay Forest Golf Club. Eventually he laid down his golf clubs and he picked up the TV remote.

He perfected picking winning college football, basketball and fantasy football teams in many friendly pools. He put together his annual Super Bowl pots and investigated his Choctaw Indian heritage. He and Maurine took numerous trips to Louisiana trying out the latest gambling system and occasionally came home winners. He enjoyed watching generations of kids play all levels of sports, and that ever-so-recognizable voice could be heard from the stands from Little League fields to college basketball gyms and everywhere in between.

Jimmy enjoyed family gatherings with his sister and her extended family.  In his sedentary years, he spent more time watching sports and game shows on television.  If, instead of shouting out the answers to the game shows, he had been an actual participant, he would have died a multi-millionaire.

In his final months he soaked up every minute of fun with Maurine, their kids and granddaughter Chloe. Although the recliner may be empty, our hearts are full of the love that he was able to share with us each and every day.

Services will be Saturday, April 7, at 11 a.m. at Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 16335 El Camino Real, Houston.  After the service, friends and family will gather at La Brisa Mexican Bar & Grill, 501 N. Wesley Dr., League City, to celebrate Pud’s life and reminisce.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Fund for Pud’s Grandkids at any Wells Fargo bank (Account #9260204434).