David Jeffrey Williamson

David Williamson was a man whose energy and personality always filled every room he entered and was the kind of guy who made friends wherever he went. Amongst his friends and colleagues, he was known for his entertaining and fun personality, often standing on tables and singing the school song or “You Ought to Go to North Dakota.” While always engaging and friendly, he was also helpful, thoughtful, and loved to support his favorite causes like the University of North Dakota’s football team and marching band and City of Hope. But more than anything, wherever he went, he loved to buy dinner for those who gathered with him.

He also had an innate drive to succeed where others might fail. He played running back at UND even though he was trained as an undersized defensive back. He coached wrestling even though he never wrestled himself. A family friend remarked that he probably could have sold ice cubes to the Eskimos. He also had a knack for turning a bad situation around. Once, while working in the Washington, D.C., area, but living in Virginia, he was able to talk himself out of a speeding ticket in spite of driving a company car registered in Maryland and owning an Iowa driver’s license. Another time while living in Costa Rica, he was picked up for not having a local driver’s license, which was difficult to get since the test was in Spanish and he didn’t speak Spanish. That didn’t stop him. He simply convinced the person in charge to trade 3M film for a Costa Rican license. With his power of persuasion in 2010 while serving as the Honoree for City of Hope, he convinced the committee to bring the UND Varsity Bards for the entertainment at the banquet in Chicago, when they usually hired people like Tony Bennett. But more important to him than his convincing personality, David simply loved life, his family, his friends, his teammates, his colleagues and his customers.

David Jeffrey Williamson was born on May 12, 1948, in Worthington, MN, and passed away on September 15, 2026, in Hudson, WI.  His family moved to Milltown, Amery and finally Hudson, where he graduated from high school in 1966. Because he was good at athletics and school and after a year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he found himself at the University of North Dakota, where he played football and graduated with a degree in English in 1970. He and Gay married in 1970 and joyfully added to their family in 1980 with Kyle, and Peter and Jonathan in 1982. After college, he taught high school English and coached football, wrestling and baseball at the then new Apollo High School in St. Cloud, MN. In 1972 he began working at 3M, moved to Minneapolis, Omaha, Davenport, Washington, D.C., St. Paul, Costa Rica, and back to St. Paul. After 16 years with 3M, he took a job in Sidney, NY, with Keith Clark (At-A-Glance, Mead, Mead Westvaco) and retired in 2010. Failing retirement, he worked for a few years for the UND Foundation and the North Dakota Economic Development Foundation.

Surviving him are his wife of 56 years, Gay, and his beloved sons, Kyle, Peter and Jonathan; his daughter-in-law, Shyla; his granddaughters, Madasyne, Hayden and Shanna; his sister and brother-in-law, Jan and Bill Lee; his sister-in-law, Synnove Williamson; and many nephews, nieces and cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Phyllis and Jay Williamson, and his brother Gary.

Because David received a scholarship when he attended UND, he felt it was important to give that opportunity to others. Those wishing to honor David’s memory may consider a contribution to the Little Big Man Scholarship Endowment at the University of North Dakota. (UND Foundation, Gorecki Alumni Center, 3501 University Avenue, Stop 8157, Grand Forks, ND 58202) This endowment was established to recognize the “little guy who plays with a BIG heart,” a description of David. Contributions may be made through the University of North Dakota Foundation.

A Celebration of David’s Life will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 12:00–4:00 p.m. at White Eagle Golf Club, 316 White Eagle Trail, Hudson, WI 54016. Food will be served at 12:30 p.m.

Funeral services are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Hudson. For more information or to share a memory, please visit www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com or call 715-386-3725.