Carroll R. Williams, 95, died Sept. 29, 2024, at home. He was the husband of the late Anna Mae (Mackes) Williams for 70 years.

Born in Pottsville, he was the son of Hazel (Yocum) and William S. Williams.

He was a 1946 graduate of Whitehall High School, and he attended Lafayette College.

He served seven years in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Seabees. He was discharged as a petty officer, CE2.

He had a 43-year career with the Bell System, starting as a lineman and holding many positions over the years, in Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Basking Ridge, N.J. He retired from Bellcore Feb. 28, 1991. His last position was responsible for implementing national and international telecommunication standards as part of the technical staff.

He was a lifelong volunteer with many community organizations which included swim clubs in Paxtonia and Cherry Hill, N.J.; Boy Scouts; and neighborhood groups. He was assistant scoutmaster of Troop 176 in Cherry Hill, N.J., and adult adviser of Troop 176 Explorer Post. He co-founded the Citizens Community for Interstate 81, which was concerned with the planned route of the interstate through Paxtang Township.

He was most proud that he was elected chair of the Philadelphia section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 1975, and, at the time, was the only person to have served as chair without a college degree. He was active in the Communication Society, serving in the Philadelphia section as chair and secretary of both ICC-72 and ICC-76, and IEEE’s International Communication Society conventions.

After his retirement, he was elected to the board of directors of the Allentown A-B Bellcore Federal Credit Union (Lehigh Valley FCU) and served as chair from 1995 to 1997. He was instrumental in applying for and receiving NCUA approval to become Pennsylvania’s first community charter credit union. In 1999, he received the Pennsylvania Credit Union’s Josephine Sakovic’s Memorial Scholarship Award, presented to a credit union volunteer who provided meritorious service to the credit union industry. He continued being active until October 2016.

Carroll and Anna Mae became involved in the Telephone Pioneers of America, Lehigh Valley, and he served as chair six different terms from 1992 to 2019. He served on committees and was secretary of the executive committee for 11 years at Willow Green Development in Allen Township, where he lived.

In 1958, he earned a single-engine pilot’s license.

He is survived by a sister, Lois Jean Croll of Catasauqua; a sister-in-law, LaRue Frick of Linwood, N.J.; children, Karen Rago and husband Carl of Santa Fe, N.M., David Williams of Leonardtown, Md., Barbara Lazenby and husband Chuck of Atlantic, Va., and Dean Williams and wife Joanne of Easton; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a daughter, Kay Williams Roberts.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Contributions may be made to Telephone Pioneers-Kinard Chapter, c/o Sue Epler, 415 Arlington St., Reading, 19611, with checks made out to TP7; or Allentown Garden Club, c/o Rosie Ebersole, 445 Rock Cliff Road, Emmaus, 18049-5513.