Roger Dan Williams

Roger Dan Williams, 62, passed away July 4, 2019 after a courageous five-year battle with
cancer. Dan was born in Manheim, Germany on November 4, 1956 where he was adopted by his loving parents, Wayne and Fay Williams who were stationed there at the time.

The Williams family lived in Germany for the first year of Dan’s life, then relocating to Arkansas in the United States. In June of 1959, they were stationed in El Paso, Texas where Dan spent most of his childhood. He spent his days playing with his dad, shopping with his mom, and going to dinner parties put on by dear family friends.

Dan loved to tell people he was a native Texan, with a deep love for BlueBonnets. In the
summers he would visit family in Louisiana and Arkansas often helping his aunts and
uncles with work on their property. He spent his teenage years driving his mother and sister
around in his beloved 1950 Plymouth that his family called the “spy-car” to get hot dogs and
then go home and watch Dark Shadows. Dan also helped his father operate his truck washing business “Wash-A-Wash”, where he was responsible for finance and book-keeping duties.

Dan attended Parkland High School where he was a member of the yearbook committee, DECA and student council. It was also around this time that he started his job at The Popular. It was here that he developed a deep passion for working hard to earn his own way in life. It is also where his flare and love for fashion flourished in designing clothing merchandise set up. He also loved making sure that he and his mother could be “dressed to the nines”. He graduated from Parkland High School, El Paso, TX in 1975 and went on to study Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin for two years. However, in 1977, he came back to El Paso to be closer to his family. He was a member of the paper and magazine team at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) which is what sparked his love and interest in editing. He worked at The Popular until he graduated from UTEP 1980.

After graduating, Dan began working for The American Cancer Society in El Paso. His talents soon helped him rise to the top and he was offered a position working for The
American Cancer Society at the Houston location which catapulted his professional career,
eventually leading him to relocate to Atlanta.

Dan made it a priority to help others in both his personal and professional life. His giving spirit translated to his professional career, where he served in leadership roles at The American Cancer Society, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and most recently as a Program Director for the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta where he was responsible for all Human Services for the foundation with a focus on AIDS/HIV, food insecurity and homelessness. Dan’s presence was a light to the foundation and everyone it serves. His work throughout his career touched many in the Atlanta area and beyond.

Family was foundational to Dan. He had a special relationship with his sister, April, and took
great joy in watching his nieces, Emily and Bethany Tyree grow into lovely young woman.

Dan built a wonderful life in Decatur, Georgia with John Mazzolini, his life partner of
twenty-three years. They enjoyed long walks in the square with their beloved dog, Molly and
frequent visits from John’s sister, Michele (Mazzolini) Williams, her husband, Bobby and nieces, Abigail and Sophia.

Dan is survived by his husband, John Mazzolini; father, Wayne Williams; sister, April Link
(Chuck) and devoted nieces, Emily and Bethany Tyree all of El Paso, TX. He will lovingly be
remembered by his in-laws, Patricia, Deborah and Thomas Mazzolini and nephews, Simon and Leo.

Dan is preceded in death by his beloved mother, Fay Williams, and sister, Lisa Gay of El Paso, TX.

The family would like to extend special gratitude to Cathy Rambach and Ina Jacobson who
provided so much support throughout Dan’s illness. Additional heart-felt thanks to Dan’s cousin, Debbie Rambo, who created a beautiful quilt made from his mother’s clothing which provided so much comfort to Dan.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to The American Cancer Society. Dan’s
family would also like to thank the staff at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University for their loving care.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic
Church (29 Boulevard NE Atlanta) at 11 a.m.