J. Wayne Williams

Julian Wayne Williams, 81, of Irmo, South Carolina, passed away peacefully after a brief hospitalization on December 19, 2025, surrounded by hymns and loved ones.

J. Wayne was born on April 13, 1944, in Thomasville, Georgia, to Julian and Marguerite Williams. The eldest of three children by several years, he grew up helping to care for his younger siblings, playing trumpet in the high school band, and falling in love with baseball. J. Wayne was drafted into the U. S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and afterward returned to finish his degree in Television and Radio Production from Bob Jones University.

In 1966, J. Wayne married Susan Inzer, his college sweetheart and the love of his life. Together they raised two sons, welcomed seven grandchildren, and enjoyed 59 beautiful years of marriage. J. Wayne spent his early career in radio before joining the public relations team of the South Carolina Highway Department, where he worked for 15 years. The latter half of his career was devoted to being the face and voice of SCANA Energy’s “Eye on SCANA”, retiring as head of corporate communications for the company after more than 20 years of service. Impressive as his professional career was, J. Wayne always prized the titles of Husband and Dad most, with his boys David and Shane often tagging along to pull records at the radio station or develop film in the dark room.

Faith in Jesus Christ formed the foundation of J. Wayne’s life. A member of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church for more than 40 years, he served tirelessly in various roles over the years, including choir director, sound engineer, praise band leader, and office manager.

A lifelong lover of music, he sang in a quartet in high school and later in the Solid Rock Quartet as lead baritone. His musical legacy lives on in Shane’s career as a worship leader and singer-songwriter, David’s music industry career in Nashville, and his grandchildren’s love of music. J. Wayne also passed down a deep love of baseball, from the days of his church softball league to his grandsons’ rec league games and many long, long years as a Cubs fan (2016 notwithstanding).

Above all, J. Wayne loved the Lord, his wife, and his family. He was a devoted son, an adoring husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a loyal friend. He loved his country, his church, and his Gamecocks. His life was marked by faith and faithfulness, and his words were weighted with love and grace. If J. Wayne loved you, you knew it; he did not leave important things unsaid.

J. Wayne is survived by his wife, Susan; his children, David (Amanda) and Shane (Trisha); seven beloved grandchildren, Etta, Charli, Luca, Julian, Finn, Toby, and Lenox; his sister, Teresa Singletary (Mike); nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Rodney Williams.

A celebration of J. Wayne’s life will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. A visitation will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in J. Wayne’s honor to the music ministry at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, or to Tunnels to Towers (t2t.org), an organization dedicated to providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children.

The family thanks God for the life of our PopPop, J. Wayne Williams. We miss him deeply, love him always, and will see him again—soon and very soon.

Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.                 – 1 Corinthians 13:13