SUFFOLK—Charles Frederick Williams, while heading to his favorite restaurant, Bunny’s, to get a delicious salt herring, died as a result of a vehicle accident in Suffolk Feb. 27, 2008.

Mr. Williams was born May 5, 1926 to the late Hatcher and Ima Smith Williams in Suffolk and raised on Hidden Acres in Isle of Wight County.

He was schooled in Portsmouth. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and continued serving in the National Guard.

He was also a past member of the Nansemond Guard in the North-South Skirmish Association. He was an active participant of Bethlehem Christian Church.

He was known as a knowledgeable, witty, plain-speaking man, who was down to earth. He was a jack-of-all-trades, modest entrepreneur, bricklayer, builder and retired after 40 years in construction.

All in all, he was a man of integrity.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hatcher and Ima Smith Williams to whom he was a devoted son; his sister, Isabel; his brothers, Joel, Wendell, Watson, Furman, Thad and Bernard.

Survivors include his two sisters, Polly Jones of Newport News and Anne Pierce of Smithfield; and his sister-in-law, Nancy Williams of Suffolk; his loving wife of 30 years, Mary Frances Liles Williams; his stepchildren, Dennis and Linda Travis of Richmond, Steven Curtis Travis of Chesapeake; 10 grandchildren by marriage and a host of many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

He will be remembered as a caring and devoted husband, brother, grandfather, and a loving surrogate father to his nieces and nephews who treasured him so much.

And as a friend to all — he knew no strangers. We were all truly blessed to have known and loved him.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in Bethlehem Christian Church in Suffolk. Pastor Jonathan Palmer will officiate.

The Williams family will receive friends and relatives between 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday in Harrell and Hill Funeral Home in Suffolk and at other times at the residence.