Doug Williams, beloved Sonoma County fire chief and community pillar, dies at 68

Doug Williams had a remarkable memory and a unique gift for making people feel noticed.

“He could name every person in the room and tell a bit of history about them,” his wife Jodie recalls.

A central figure in Sonoma County, Williams was born into two of the oldest families. He embraced a life of public service as one of the county’s most experienced and respected fire chiefs until his retirement in 2015, helping to establish Redcom, the county’s fire and medical dispatch center.

In his later years, Williams turned his attention to philanthropy and served on local boards and service organizations. He “was the good one,” said his sister, Jon Huffman.

After a years-long battle with lung cancer, Williams died on October 16 at his home in Larkfield. He was 68.

Karen Hancock, community outreach specialist with the Sonoma County Fire District, remembers being in awe at a 2022 Sonoma County Fire Chief Association meeting when Williams introduced everyone in a room of more than 100 people.

“I was brand new, and he still had quite a story,” she said, referring to how Williams talked about her work background and children. “I was just so impressed by that.”

Williams served for 18 years until 2015 as chief of the Rincon Valley Fire District and the province’s Central Fire Authority, which also served Windsor. The districts have since been consolidated into the Sonoma County Fire District.

He started at Rincon Valley in 1972 as an Explorer, a hands-on, educational program designed to introduce youth to careers in fire and emergency services.

The California Fire Chief’s Association selected him as Fire Chief of the Year during his career and was inducted into their hall of fame in 2023.

Throughout his life, Williams served on several community boards, including the Mark West Area Chamber of Commerce. He was also involved with the Windsor Rotary Club and the Treasure House Consignment Shop in Santa Rosa, which donates profits to community charities.

He had a great regard for his faith, being a devoted member of the Christian group Gideons International and regularly attending church at The Pursuit in Larkfield.

Williams also loved trains. He encouraged the creation and growth of Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit and played a role in rehabilitating the Cloverdale to Willits portion of the rail system, which is planned but not yet constructed.

He also worked with his son, Johnathan Williams, as a SMART Ambassador, educating the public about the train system, promoting its services and assisting passengers with information.

“He always took public transportation when he could,” said John Lantz, an assistant fire chief who worked for Williams for years.

A devoted family man, Williams made it a point to be home by 6 p.m. every day for family dinners unless a meeting was conflicting. He also called his mother every day at 3 p.m. for forty years

Williams’ son Jonathan remembers ending every day as a child watching “Gilligan’s Island” or “The Rockford Files” on videocassette with his father.

“We enjoyed it together until I fell asleep,” he said.

Jodie added with a laugh, “Otherwise Doug would fall asleep first.”

According to his family, Williams was able to fall asleep in no time.

“The rest of the time he goes 100 miles per hour,” said his brother-in-law, Kath Huffman. Williams would take any chance to catch up on his sleep.

Williams was born on November 5, 1955 in San Francisco and raised in Santa Rosa by his parents, Howard and Ellen Williams. He earned the name Doug after his mother’s maiden name, Douglas.

Williams, the great-grandson of James Monroe Williams, Santa Rosa’s first mayor, was proud of his heritage. He regularly added people to his online family tree, which grew to about 92,000 names.

Huffman, Williams’ sister, said she was proud of her big brother.

“He always loved to do the right thing,” said Huffman, his sister. “He’s never had any problems. He played by the rules. He always got very good grades.”

He graduated from Montgomery High School and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he enjoyed studying mathematics and once corrected a professor using an abacus.

In his later years, Williams opened his college math book “to keep his mind sharp,” his wife said.

Jodie and Williams met through a mutual friend, became engaged and married in 1992. She admired how he not only did his job well, but also worked to move things forward for the good of the community.

Rob Bisordi, division chief at Sonoma County Fire, said that early in Williams’ career, fire districts operated in isolation, with strict boundaries. Thanks to visionaries like Williams, he says, departments now work together and share resources. He noted that Williams helped establish a central service for local fire and medical services, which would become known as Redcom.

In addition to his professional achievements, Williams’ influence extended to the personal lives of those who knew him. Jodie remembered how many visitors showed up for him in his final days.

“These people love him, and I (couldn’t) say no,” she said.

After a two-week hospital stay, Williams was transferred to a hospice at home. He was at peace when he died, Jodie said. “He never lost his smile or his concern for other people.”

A celebration of life for Williams will be held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa, on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

You can reach staff writer Madison Smalstig at [email protected]. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.