Funeral services for Hobby Young Williams, Sr., 81, of the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation were held on Friday, January 3, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Indian Village Presbyterian Church. Elder Debra Battise-Kleinman, CLP, officiated the service. Interment will be at Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Cemetery.

Hobby was born on November 23, 1932 on the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation to Epperson and Annie Mae (Scott) Williams and passed away on December 30, 2013 at Pearsall, Texas. He is preceded in death by his parents, Epperson and Annie Mae Williams, his wife Rachel Sylestine Williams, his sons, Hobby Williams, Jr., Wendell Williams and Lawton Williams, a daughter, Susan Williams, his sisters, Vera Simpkins, Della Poncho and Dorena Williams, his brothers, Mark Sylestine and Douglas Williams, Sr., his mother in law, Clara Faye Battise, and his sister in law Jessie Sylestine.

Hobby attended public school at Dallardsville Big Sandy and graduated in 1952. He played on the Big Sandy Wildcats' high school basketball team that won the State Championship in 1952. He enlisted in the United States Army on September 22, 1953 and achieved the rank of SP4. He was honorably discharged on August 31, 1961.

Hobby worked for the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe at Tribal Enterprise in a variety of roles. He was a tour guide on the Big Thicket and Indian Country bus tours, and was in charge of the Tribal Dance Program serving as the Master of Ceremonies and Singer. When the Tribe's outdoor drama "Beyond the Sundown" was in production, he could be seen portraying one of the "rock stars" on stage.

In later years, Hobby worked for Polk County as a custodian at the County Courthouse for 16 years and retired from his position in 1997. He and his wife Rachel spent their retirement years traveling extensively to visit their children and grandchildren, take a grandchild to the Indian powwows, fishing and spending quality time with friends.

Hobby is survived by his daughters, Kunya and husband Edward Cantu of Austin, Texas, Vanya and husband John Erickson of Pearsall, Texas, two brothers in law, Malcolm Sylestine and Charley Sylestine of the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation, sister in law, Arlene Williams of Elton, Louisiana, seven grandchildren, Galen Williams and wife Marion Highfill Williams, Janalisa Williams, Brandon and wife Nicole Celedon, Earl and wife Sara Erickson, Shane Erickson, Christian Erickson and Johnathon Erickson, nine great-grandchildren, Asa Erickson, Nikki Williams, Noah Erickson, Tristan Williams, Ethan Bentley Worthey, Madison Rachel Erickson, Ronnie Reese Erickson, Matthew Erickson and Johnathon Dakota Erickson, as well as a host of cousins, nieces and nephews and friends.

Pallbearers were Christian Erickson, Johnathon Erickson, Brandon Celedon, Calvin Wilson, Gerren Downing and Brent Thompson.
Honorary pallbearers were Elgin Davis, McClamroch Battise, Sherman Williams, and Douglas Williams, Jr.