Community Corner

Volleyball Loses Champion David Williams

David C. Williams, a Hermosa Beach resident known for his passion for volleyball, died Tuesday with his family near him at a Santa Monica hospital, according to media reports. The 55-year-old fought a short battle with cancer.

In April 2010, Williams became the first managing director of beach programs for USA Volleyball as part of its initiative to create short- and long-term growth for beach volleyball.

He previously had held several senior management positions for the Association of Volleyball Professionals, including director of tour operations, director of marketing development and vice president of operations. While with the AVP, he produced more than 150 events.

He also founded the Manhattan Beach Open Dinner of Champions.

“USA Volleyball has lost a wonderful employee, a wonderful human being and a dear friend with Dave’s passing,” said USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal. “I am having a terribly hard time digesting and accepting that Dave will not grace us with his wit, energy, passion and love of life anymore.”

"Dave had the biggest heart and a tremendous love for the volleyball community, players and the sport," said Mark Leyman, director for Parks and Recreation in Manhattan Beach who worked with Williams for the past 10 years on the Manhattan Beach Open. "He will be greatly missed."
 
From 1997 to '98, Williams was the managing director of The Women’s Professional Volleyball Association, taking the position without financial compensation as a favor to friends playing on the tour, according to the Easy Reader. He reportedly lived off proceeds from his interest in Café au Lait, developers of Paradise Tropical Tea, which had been recently sold to Sara Lee Corporation.

Williams, who worked as executive vice president of sales & marketing for 3D Shopping / O2 Essential Marketing Technology, a publicly traded web hosting and marketing company that was the exclusive 3D image provider to Yahoo Shopping, held executive management positions with Café Au Lait, Vie De France Bakery Corporation, Mauna Loa and Pepsi.

Born in 1957 in Steubenville, Ohio, he graduated from Buckeye North High School in 1975, going on to Ohio State University to earn a B.A. degree in marketing and organizational communications in 1981. Williams was a life member of Ohio State's President Club and a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
 
He was preceded in death by his mother, Barbara (Logan) Williams.

Surviving Williams are his father and stepmother, Charles J. and JoAnn Williams of Brilliant; sister, Carol Bush of Granville, OH and her three children, Justin Bush of Highland Park, NJ, Adrienne Bush of Minneapolis, MN, and Ryan Bush of Baltimore, MD; sister, Nancy Williams and her husband Jim Casebolt of Evergreen, CO, and her step-sons, Matt (Turid) Casebolt and their three children, Conrad, Zoe and Max, and Zack (Kim) Casebolt and their three children, Ethan, Kylee and Jayden, all of Colorado; brother, Doug Williams and his wife Laraine of Bristol, TN and their two children, Dana Williams of Johnson City, TN, and Logan Williams of West Lafayette, IN; and step-sister, Lisa Thiel, her husband Dave and their daughters, Sydney and Ally all of Jacksonville, FL, according to The Herald-Star.

Williams' life will be celebrated on Saturday, June 1 at 2 p.m. at the First United Presbyterian Church in Brilliant, OH. A private burial will be held at New Alexandria Cemetery.

Contributions may be directed to the Dave Williams Memorial, USA Volleyball Foundation, 1500 South Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92805.

Condolences may be offered at www.wheelerfuneralhomes.com.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Hermosa Beach