Dr. Marion Lester Williams

Dr. Marion Lester Williams, age 91, was called to his heavenly home on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. The older of two children, he was born in Abilene, Texas, on December 1, 1933, to Lester and Faye Williams.

Marion was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and friend. Although having a busy professional life, he loved to spend quality time with his family. He was an active member of First Baptist Church and, later, Hoffmantown Church.

Marion is survived by daughter Tammy Cole and fiancé Mike; daughter, Pam Ritterbush and husband Craig; grandchildren, Ryan Cole and wife Jane, Kendra Root and husband Levi, Aaron Ritterbush and fiancé Eva, Andrew Ritterbush and wife Taylor; great grandchildren, James Cole, Jonathan Cole, Jemma Cole, Piper Root, and Madison Root; sister Kathy Bertram and husband Don. He leaves many other cherished relatives and friends. Marion was preceded in death by his wife Johnnie and parents Lester and Faye Williams

Marion attended grade and high schools in Abilene, TX. Dreaming from an early age of becoming an Air Force test pilot, Marion became active in his high school's Civil Air Patrol. He also spent a month in Denmark as an exchange cadet the summer after he graduated.

Marion attended Texas A&M and earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, in 1956. A high point during his college years was meeting his hero, test pilot Chuck Yeager, the first to break the sound barrier.

While still in college, Marion met Johnnie Ellinger and began dating, becoming serious during his senior year. After graduation they continued to date long-distance, and in December of 1957 were married in Abilene. Establishing their first home in Albuquerque, the couple welcomed their daughter Tammy a year and a half later and Pam 3 ½ years after that.

In Albuquerque, Marion began his career at Sandia Laboratory's wind tunnel as an aerodynamicist before being called to active duty as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force. He was assigned to the nearby Air Force Special Weapons Center on Kirtland Air Force Base. During his time there, in 1957, he witnessed an above-ground atomic test at the Nevada Test Site.

Because Marion's eyesight prevented him from becoming a test pilot, Marion left the Air Force after his 3-year Air Force tour was over. He returned to Sandia and also began graduate studies at UNM, receiving his Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1967.

Following Marion's time at Sandia, he served in various capacities at Kirtland: Senior Weapon Systems Engineer for the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility (part of the "Rio Grande Navy"), Senior Operations Research Analyst for the short-lived Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Task Force II, and Physical Scientist for the Field Command, Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA).

While at the DNA, Marion became especially interested the field of Operations Research (OR) and the government sponsored his further studies at Oklahoma State University where Marion completed the coursework for his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Management, majoring in Operations Research. He and his family returned to Albuquerque the following year, and Marion went back to work for the DNA and worked on his dissertation at night-miraculously finishing it in one year. He received his Ph.D. in May 1971.

Shortly thereafter, Marion accepted a coveted position as Principal Scientist for SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) Technical Center in The Hague, Netherlands, where he put his OR training to work with NATO allies. During the three years living in the Netherlands, Marion and Johnnie planned amazing trips with Tammy and Pam to 11 European countries to explore food and culture.

After returning to Albuquerque in 1974, Marion joined AFTEC (later AFOTEC), the newly formed Air Force Operations Test and Evaluation Center, set up as an independent testing and evaluation organization reporting directly to the Air Force Chief of Staff. There Dr. Williams became Chief Technical Advisor, later being promoted to Chief Scientist and Technical Director. While he never became a test pilot, AFOTEC became his dream job. He would often state, "I loved every minute of my time there."

He first "retired" in 1998 from AFOTEC. Shortly thereafter, Marion was employed by the Georgia Institute of Technology but assigned again to AFOTEC as Chief Scientist. He retired a second time in 2005.

After his second "retirement" Marion went to work for the Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) in DC for another decade.

Throughout his career, Dr. Williams received many honors and awards, including: the Vance R. Wanner Memorial Award from the Military Operations Research Society (MORS), the Dr. Allen R Matthews Award from the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA), and two Presidential-level awards, the Air Force Citation of Honor, the Air Force Analyst Lifetime Achievement Award, and the AFOTEC Lifetime Achievement Award-the last presented on the occasion of AFOTEC's 50th Anniversary celebration on March 6, 2024. He was also honored with the naming of the "Dr. Marion Williams Conference Room" at AFOTEC headquarters.

In the community, Dr. Williams served on the advisory committees of the UNM Cancer Center and the UNM Engineering School and was a scientific advisor to the State of New Mexico Scientific and Technical Oversight Committee.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on July 7, 2025 at Hoffmantown Church, 8888 Harper Rd NE. Interment will take place at Santa Fe National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Disabled American Veterans are appreciated.