By Wayne Risher, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.

Sep. 8--Bob Williams, co-founder of Reeves Williams Inc., one of DeSoto County and Greater Memphis' marquee names in home building, died Monday at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis burn unit. He was 73.

Mr. Williams, a Rosemark native and longtime Memphian, teamed up in 1967 with college friend Jon Reeves to build homes in the future Southaven. Before selling Reeves Williams to a New Jersey company in 2000, they had built more than 5,000 homes and 3,000 apartments in North Mississippi and Shelby County.

They were still partners, in R & W Developers, when Mr. Williams suffered burns in an accident at his home in early August.

"Bob and I have been friends for over 55 years," Reeves said. "He has been a great partner but an even greater friend. He is the brother I never had."

Mr. Williams leaves his wife, Julia Gray Williams, daughter, Courtney Williams Murrah, son, Robert M. Williams III, sister, Shirley Lowe, and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at St. John's Episcopal Church at Central and Greer. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

Southaven Mayor Greg Davis said his 40-year-old city owes a large debt to Mr. Williams. "Long before we were a city, his investment in our area turned us into what we are today. The passing of Mr. Williams is a tremendous loss to our entire community."

Mr. Williams led one of the nation's top 100 home-building companies during a period of rapid growth in DeSoto County. "He's truly a pioneer and a giant for the housing industry in Mississippi," said Marty Milstead, executive vice president of the Homebuilders Association of Mississippi, which placed Mr. Williams in its Hall of Fame in 1991.

Rob Williams, Mr. Williams' son, said his dad took great pride in communities that were created where Reeves Williams built homes. "That's probably why they were so successful, because they weren't interested in selling houses short run. He liked buying the land, developing the areas and then continuing to follow it. He wondered what it would be like in 10, 15 years."

A basketball and baseball star at Bolton High School in the early 1950s, Mr. Williams played basketball for Ole Miss. He and Reeves, a football player, became fast friends living in the athletic dorm.

After graduation and service in the Army, they worked for a Kemmons Wilson home-building company in DeSoto County from 1962-1967.

Reeves Williams, which Mr. Williams called "his business family," developed more than 4,000 lots in more than 45 subdivisions in North Mississippi and Shelby County, Reeves said.

Though he lived in Memphis, Mr. Williams was a charter member and past president of the Southaven Rotary Club and Southaven Chamber of Commerce. He was past president of the DeSoto County Economic Development Council and North Mississippi Homebuilders Association.

His commitment to the community extended into marshaling company resources to help worthy causes. The partners gave Southaven 127 acres for a city park, built the first St. Jude Dream Home, the 1987 WKNO Action Auction House, the Sunrise Home for Boys and a permanent home for the Samaritans.

-- Wayne Risher: 529-2874

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