Thomas Edgar Williams

Thomas Edgar Williams, attorney and farmer, father and grandfather, passed away on Monday, April 17, 2017, from sudden cardiac arrest. He was 76 years old.

Tom was born on Nov. 4, 1940, in Salem, Illinois, to Leonard and Sue Williams. He was raised on the family dairy farm in Butte, Alaska. Tom graduated from Palmer High School. Tom was an enthusiastic outdoorsman throughout his life; as a boy he participated in the Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Tom served for two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Atlanta, Georgia, and served in the Alaska National Guard. Tom went on to attend Brigham Young University, earning a degree in Boy Scout Leadership.

It was there he met the love of his life, Gene Marie Linford. They were married on May 26, 1966. They moved together to Chicago, Illinois, where they had their first two children, Denise and Thane. The young family moved to Los Angeles for two years, where Tom earned his law degree. It was Tom's dream to return to Alaska, and in 1975 they moved to Anchorage, where Tom was employed as an attorney for the Alaska Railroad. There, Tom and Gene had two more children, Wendy and Kimberly. In 1978, Tom started an independent law practice as a personal injury attorney, and moved the family to his childhood farm at the foot of the Bodenburg Butte.

In addition to his law practice, in 1980 Tom founded Williams Farms, selling hay and raising cattle, with his wife Gene acting as farm manager. In 1987, Tom imported a herd of reindeer from Canada and founded the Williams Reindeer Farm, building it into a successful and well-known tourist attraction. Tom's well-trained reindeer participated in many events such as holiday parties, tree-lighting ceremonies, and the Fur Rendezvous Festival, and performed in many films and TV shows. Tom eventually added moose, blacktail deer, elk, and bison to the farm's attractions. Tom's family and friends will long remember his adventuresome nature, strong work ethic, sense of humor and personality, and his desire to care for his family.

Tom is survived by his sisters, Carolyn and Sharon; his four children, Denise, Thane, Wendy, and Kim; and his nine grandchildren, Lauren, Zachary, Jarett, Camden, Madison, Lane, Koen, Anna, and Elle. He is predeceased by his father, Leonard; his mother, Sue; his wife, Gene; and his grandchild Joshua.

A memorial open house will be held in Tom's memory on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the LDS Palmer Chapel, 560 W Bogard Ave, Palmer, Alaska.