Robb Williams

Robb Marshall Williams, 37, beloved son of Dan and Susan Williams, died early Friday morning, March 4, 2011, at Gordon Hospice House of metastasized pancreatic cancer. Robb was born in Iredell County on October 9, 1973 and attended Iredell County Schools as a student in the Exceptional Children's Program. He graduated from North Iredell High School in 1992. Robb's great passion in life was his involvement in Special Olympics beginning at age 8. He competed in local and state level events in aquatics, bowling, basketball, equestrian, power lifting, tennis, and volleyball. He won the gold medal in tennis at the National Games in Iowa in 2006. At the World Games level he won gold and silver medals in bowling in Minnesota in 1991, gold and silver medals in tennis singles and doubles in Connecticut in 1995 and a seventh place ribbon in tennis in Raleigh in 1999. Robb was named the North Carolina Special Olympics Athlete of the Year in 1992 and served as an ambassador during that year. At his last Special Olympics competition in November 2010, Robb won his 64 and 65 gold medals in singles and doubles tennis. Robb was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents R.K. and Beulah Williams, his maternal grandfather Frank Steinbruegge, and his uncle Joe Williams. In addition to his parents, Robb is survived by his favorite sister Christy Williams of Phoenix, AZ, his grandmother Kathryn Steinbruegge of Atlanta, GA, his great aunt Cloise Williams, aunt Bobbie Williams, uncles and aunts Alan and Barbara Williams, JD and Ellen Sprinkle, Donald and Rena Turner, all of Olin; and Robert and Kathy Steinbruegge of Rome, GA, David and Joanna Bragg of Atlanta, GA, and Charles and Urszula Steinbruegge of Chicago, IL. He is also survived by numerous cousins who loved him very much, his best friend Scott Hager of Mocksville, and many friends in Special Olympics across the state and in Davie County, where Robb lived for 15 years in the Davie County Group Home. Funeral services for Robb will be held at 3:00 pm Sunday, March 6, 2011, at Friendship United Methodist Church, 907 Friendship Road, Statesville with Rev. Gary Richardson and Rev. Janet Wolf officiating. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:00 pm Saturday evening at Nicholson Funeral Home, 135 E. Front Street, Statesville. Pallbearers will be Rick, Ted, and Todd Williams, Andy Turner, Robbie and Jamie Steinbruegge, Andrew Bragg, and Lenny Keith. Honorary pallbearers will be Charles Love, Kent Daniels, Dale Fox, Josh Weddington, Beth Eldridge and Roland Moss. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in memory of Robb be sent to the following: Special Olympics North Carolina, 2200 Gateway Centre Boulevard, Suite 201, Morrisville, NC, 27560; Friendship United Methodist Youth, 907 Friendship Road, Statesville, NC, 28625; Davie County Group Home Inc., 785 Sanford Avenue, Mocksville, NC, 27028; or Gordon Hospice House, 2341 Simonton Rd, Statesville, NC 28625. The family thanks the doctors, nurses, and staff at Iredell Memorial Hospital who cared for him many different times for his recurring pancreatitis and also the caring staff at Gordon Hospice House who tried to make his last few days as comfortable as possible. Online condolences may be made at www.nicholsonfunerals.com/obituaries. Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family of Robb Marshall Williams.