Remembering the life of James Williams (2024)

It is with great love, pride and respect for his dignity and memory that the family of James Harris Williams announce his passing on August 2nd, 2024.
J. H. Williams, "Harry", was born in Niagara Falls, New York on December 29th, 1931, as the second son to Catholic Lebanese parents, Mary Dahar and Harris Williams. After attending Stella Niagara Military Academy and Bishop Duffy Catholic High School, Harry enlisted in the Air Force and spent two years in active duty in the Korean War. In 2017, Niagara University honored him and the Williams Family with the St. Vincent de Paul Award, giving further credence to his lifelong devotion to the Catholic faith.
In addition to his loving daughter Teresa Williams, his stepson Daniel Higgins, and his grandchildren Sonia, James, Brittany and Melaina, Harry is survived by his sister Martha Williams Bennett, and brother Francis Williams and sister-in-law Marie Williams. His oldest brother was Joseph Williams (1929-2021). Harry's close knit extended family includes a long line of nieces and nephews who individually revered and treasured their Uncle Junior.
Harry's name was synonymous with diligence and the skill of deal making. It ran deep in his veins and manifested into a 70-year story that spanned a multitude of disciplines and ventures.
His very first foray into business was in San Antonio, Texas where, post war, his enthusiasm and interest for hospitality began. Harry returned to Buffalo two years later to be near his family and start what would become nothing short of a legendary career as he proved himself to be a prolific and relentless entrepreneur.
Born with the rare gift of being both sharply assertive and imaginatively creative, Harry honed these talents into his drive for crafting deals. Harry's initial business ventures were restaurants and nightclubs, which led to connections at the Niagara Power Project in the late 1950's. Here, his initial contract jobs were salvage and site work, which gave him an opening into the scrap metal and demolition contracting businesses. Now, armed with a solid education in heavy equipment and trucking, he focused his attention on solid waste management. Harry saw this as an underserved and untapped market. He went on to develop, acquire and operate several enterprises in this arena forming partnerships with his brother Francis and Buffalo area businessman Larry Reger, further evidence of his ability to successfully stretch his bandwidth over a multitude of disciplines throughout his life.
Over the course of seven decades, Harry's business interests, in addition to the heavy contracting, spanned various versions of hospitality, retail, automotive dealerships, marinas, real estate development, electronics' manufacturing and cattle ranching. In Harry's mind, opportunity was everywhere. Finessed with shrewd deal making skills and a brave, deep belief in himself, he seized each and every one that caught his attention. Indeed, when opportunity knocked, Harry offered it a chair. Over the years, countless national and international deals found their way across Harry's desk, but he remained steadfast in his commitment to investing in the people and community of Buffalo and the Niagara Frontier.
The family business platform was a natural one to Harry, as he watched his parents work side by side in their local grocery store from the time he was born. It gave him great joy to carry on this tradition, and to that end, he put his young nephews to work as soon as they could climb into the cabs of backhoes or dozers at his area landfills. Just as dear to him was the Arabic custom of a tightly woven family unit. Being together outside of the office was a tremendously integral part of his life. Countless Sundays together at his riverside home forged a decade's long, multi-generational bond among the Williams family.
Harry's generous nature showed time and time again, in the manner that he would mentor, invest in and inspire dozens of aspiring businessmen and entrepreneurs alike over his lifetime - many of whom continued to visit, call and stop by for lunch years or decades after their business association with him had come to a close. It was his great honor and skill to invest in people as much as the entity itself. Never one that had the need to fill the silence or desire the spotlight, Harry chose his moments to deliver direction with commanding purpose and an uncanny wisdom. He was as bold as he was impervious to others' objections. The noise never bothered him but seemingly served as a tool to focus on the goal at hand. It was because of this that he had the respect, reverence and affection of not just his family and friends, but of the community of Western New York that he proudly called his home.
James Harris Williams leaves behind an unshakable memory of independence, strength and steadfast individuality. It is his family's honor and commitment to carry on this legacy.
On Friday, August 9th, at 1:15pm, a Mass of Christian Burial and celebration of Harry's life will be held at St. Mary of the Cataract Church, 237 4th Street, Niagara Falls, NY 14303, USA. For streaming access to the Mass, please email twilliams@oscinc.com to receive the link. Entombment, concluding with Military Honors, will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Lewiston, NY.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Mary Dahar Williams' Scholarship at Niagara University, reflecting and honoring his lifelong commitment to helping others. To donate, go to www.niagara.edu, select Support NU, or call Tiffany Ryan, Gift Accountant, 716 286-8790.
A reception will be held Friday, August 9 at The Buffalo Club, 388 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14202, at 6pm.
Harry's family has entrusted his care to the Goodlander family, OTTO REDANZ FUNERAL HOME AND NIAGARA COUNTY CREMATION CARE, 2215 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY (716-297-9007). Share condolences and memories at GOODLANDERCARES.com

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Published on August 6, 2024