Carl "Bud" Williams

C.T. ‘Bud” Williams, 86, of Russell, Kentucky went to be with the Lord on April 12, 2022 in the Boyd Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ashland, KY.

He was born on December 12, 1935 to the late Ammon and Lida Turner Williams in Paintsville, Kentucky.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his daughter Jodi Gann, sister Patricia Stinson, brother James Roger Williams, and step-father Jack Castle.

Bud loved to listen to old time Gospel and Bluegrass music. He was the son of a coal miner and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and farming, and was a University of Kentucky Basketball fan. His love for farming developed in high school when he joined the Future Farmers of America.

His dream to be a cowboy took him to Belt Montana in the 1960’s where he worked on a 10,000 acre ranch raising beef cattle, and growing wheat. He said it was the best job he ever had and enjoyed farming, the herding and branding of cattle and he did become a true American Cowboy.

In 1969 he moved his family to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he worked for the City of Fairbanks. There he helped transform the streets from gravel to pavement. He was also instrumental in organizing the union for the city workers into the Local 302 Operating Engineers union. He then took a union job as a heavy equipment operator to begin the process of building the road that was used to haul equipment to the North Slope oil fields near Prudo Bay where the Alaskan Pipeline was starting to be built. He worked for the pipeline until its completion.

Bud never met a stranger and through all the years he made many life-long friends.

His family, friends, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews loved the hear stories of his sometime funny or perilous adventures as a cowboy, hunting big game, fishing, or building the ice roads and ice bridges for the Pipeline. Children always gravitated to him as they knew he would have a stick of gum in his pocket to pass out to them.

Bud is survived by his wife of 34 years, Connie Williams, sons Jed (Shelia) of Polson, MT, Matt (Laurie) of North Pole, AK, and Nate (Megan) of Eagle River, AK, step-sons Stacy (Nancy) Glazier of Flatwoods, KY and David (Kim) Glazier of Danleyton, KY, along with 10 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Bud was loved and will be missed by family and a host of extended family and friends.

A private family service will be held at a later date.

Carman Funeral Home, Flatwoods, KY is caring for arrangements.