Ben Williams was the Interim Headmaster at Robert College from 1992 to 1993.
Ben Williams passed away on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Born in 1936, Ben was raised by parents who were “the best possible examples of how to build a contributing and meaningful life.” His children would later note, “To grow up with Ben Williams was to understand that the responsibility of any earnest citizen was to know the name of as many living things on the planet as possible. To know another living thing’s name, nature, and needs is to appreciate that your own desires and interests are far from paramount.”
Ben did his undergraduate work at Princeton. He married Nancy Nielsen in 1961 and they moved to Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, where they raised three sons.
Ben was the Head at Lawrence Academy for 15 years, then the Head of Worcester Academy, before coming to Robert College as Interim Head for the 1992-93 school year. Among the many memories from colleagues at Robert College at the time was Ben and Nan’s weekly gatherings with faculty at the Deanery. In addition to being an exceptional leader in education, Ben was a nationally and internationally known entomologist, whose work was published in the Lepidopterist’s Journal.
He was a man who valued the people with whom he shared his life and work above all. A truly remarkable teacher, father, brother, and friend, he is “beloved on the earth.”
Benjamin Williams was predeceased by his wife Nancy. He is survived by their three sons, Benjamin Williams IV, Frederick Williams and Joseph Williams, their wives and nine grandchildren.
Published July 2023
