Thank you, ‘Bake’ Williams!

Janet E. Crum
Titusville
    Recently, the Lambertville community lost a priceless icon. For decades Clarence “Bake” Williams was a strong presence around town. His decades of being the area milkman and volunteer fireman in his “spare” time spoke volumes of his great character and pride in his community. Everyone knew “Bake.”
   Many a morning when out for a walk or driving through town, you would see “Bake” out delivering milk and dairy products to his beloved community. A quick wave and a friendly shout of “Hello, how are you and the family doing?” — and then he would be back to work as the last of the door-to-door milkmen in the area.
   ”Bake” was a shining example of community spirit: a very active firefighter with Fleetwing Fire (chief for many years and more forward-thinking than many would have imagined). In the early 1960’s he insisted the railroad cars with chemicals that often sat along the north border of town be kept well beyond the city limits. This was long before most emergency services started thinking and talking about being careful with hazardous materials.
   He was a pioneer — helping create the Lambertville-New Hope Rescue Squad, which has grown into one of the premier emergency squads in the state. As if not quite enough, he was also active in the Kiwanis and Odd Fellows. Though he frequently held leadership roles, I got the impression he was equally comfortable behind the scenes, making sure everything was properly covered.
   Even with all this community involvement, his greatest joys were with his family. He would visibly brighten when asked about his wife, his beloved Betty. They were married for just shy of 70 (yes, 70!) years! — a fact he was very proud of. “Bake’s” eyes would twinkle when he spoke of his two daughters, Beverly and Bonnie, and their husbands, who also enjoyed his company. But if you really wanted to see his eyes light up, just ask about the grandchildren: David and Rebecca, whom he (and Betty, too) adored! How proud he was that David also was a volunteer firefighter like his “Poppie.” And, I fondly recall the early morning when their granddaughter was born — the police drove around the area to locate him to share the news of the new little girl. “Bake” loved to retell those stories! How he enjoyed sharing these memories and the time spent with his family.
   After over 40 years delivering “the goods” to his community “Bake” and Betty retired and moved to their shore home. However, they still kept in touch with what was happening in the Lambertville area. Family and community were so important to both of them.
   In a day when community involvement and volunteering are disappearing, Clarence “Bake” Williams reminds us of all who have stepped beyond the comforts of their own homes to help others. “Bake” was truly one of those volunteers who reached beyond his family to help keep his community a safer place to live.
   Thank you, “Bake.”