Francis Edward Williams

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our father, Rev. Francis Williams (Fr. Frank). Fr. Frank passed away in the early hours of May 15th. He was 98 and, on a mission, to make it to 100.

Fr. Frank lead a remarkable life as a biblical scholar; Episcopal parish priest; teacher; principal and professor; literary translator; and major opera enthusiast. He met our mother, Charlotte (née Condia), early in his time as a parish priest in Cincinnati. They were married in 1954 and shared their lives until our mom’s passing in 2023 having three children, Marge, John, and Paul along the way.

Fr. Frank received his BA at Harvard and Master of Divinity at Nashotah House. He learned Hebrew and Greek at Hebrew Union Seminary. He received his D Phil. from Oxford in Theology and Old Testament with his thesis on the life of St. Paul.

He worked at parishes and convents in Wisconsin, Arizona, and California as a pastor and educator, before settling into a career as a professor and student minister at the University of Texas, El Paso. While doing all of this, he also spent twenty years of scholarship translating 1500 pages of writings of the 4th Century Greek bishop Epiphanius for the Nag Hamadi Project at Claremont. There was no modern English translation of his work which was necessary for people studying Nag Hamadi and Gnosticism.

Fr. Frank also loved going to the opera which he did in San Francisco, Santa Fe, Austin, New York, and Italy.

He enjoyed life and loved many people whose lives he touched and who touched his. Besides his children, Fr. Frank leaves behind his beloved sister Lucy, son-in-law David Kruse, daughter-in-law Laurie Williams, grandchildren Daniel and Sarah Williams, and sister-in-laws Carol Condia Griffin and Jean Condia Shrader.

Rest in the light. You will be so very missed.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 28, 10:00 am at St. James Episcopal Church, 102 St James Ave, Las Cruces, NM, (575) 526-2389. A reception will follow immediately at the church. Fr. Frank will be interred in the afternoon at the Hillsboro Cemetery, in Hillsboro, NM.

In lieu of gifts, please consider a donation to assist victims of the war in Ukraine in Fr. Frank’s honor. Donations can be made to World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine?), the Ukraine Red Cross (https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/international-services/ukraine-crisis.html?) or other organizations working in Ukraine