ROGER HARGREAVES WILLIAMS, A Hingham resident for over 50 years, died on Tuesday, Nov. 4th at the Cardigan Nursing Home in Scituate at the age of 97. He was born in Dorchester and grew up in Wellesley, where he graduated from high school. In 1934 he graduated from MIT and joined the Army Corps of Engineers, working on the dredging that widened and deepened the Cape Cod Canal, and with the Civilian Conservation Corps in New Mexico. When WW II began, he was area engineer in charge of construction of air fields in British, French and Dutch Guiana (Surinam), Venezuela, Curacao and Aruba. In 1944 he became Executive Officer of the 1154th Engineer (Combat) Battalion, and then Commanding Officer of the 1291st Engineer (Combat) Battalion that shipped for Europe in January 1945. Because of the rapid progression of the war, the battalion was deactivated and Roger became Battalion Commanding Officer of the 368th Engineer (General Services) Regiment serving in Belgium, Germany and France. He remained in the Army through service in Okinawa during the Korean War, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He then returned to MIT for a Master's Degree and worked for the firm of Metcalf and Eddy on projects in Thule, Greenland and Iceland. Later, he was Construction and Plant Engineer, first at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and then at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Roger was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Lois Evelyn (Hawes) Williams, with whom he designed and built their home on Worlds End in Hingham in 1955. He is survived by three children; David H. Williams of Inverness, FL, John W. Williams of Punta Gorda, FL and Alicia C. Williams of Hingham; seven grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and two great great grandsons.
A Memorial Service in December will be announced by the Downing Cottage Funeral Chapel, Hingham. Visiting hours and flowers omitted by request. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the MIT Alumni Fund (Class of 1934), 77 Massachusetts Ave., W92-280, Cambridge, MA 02139.
The interment in Pine Hill Cemetery in Sherborn is private.