Albert Cary “A.C.” Williams Jr.

August 3, 1948 – May 22, 2026

Albert Cary “A.C.” Williams Jr., 77, of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 22, 2026. Born on August 3, 1948, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the cherished son of Albert Cary “Big A.C.” Williams Sr. and Shirley Williams (née Phillips). A.C. was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, cousin, and friend whose presence filled every room he entered.

A.C.’s life was defined by humor, hard work (though never too hard), and a natural gift for making people feel welcome. A standout athlete at East Tech High School, he especially excelled in football. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving proudly as a Pharmacy Technician. While stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, he met and married Shirley Francois (née Wilson), and from that union came his son, Njema J. Williams.

Following his honorable discharge, AC relocated to Los Angeles, where he launched his career in pharmacy at UCLA before later serving in law enforcement with the Beverly Hills Prosecutor’s Office. Life ultimately brought him to Gwendolyn Johnson Williams, the love of his life, whom he married on November 13, 1992. Together, they built a life grounded in love, commitment, and cherished moments.

In 1994, A.C. returned to Cleveland to care for his ailing father and soon joined the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. His strong relationships and respected reputation in Ohio’s political community led to his appointment as Service Director for the City of Warrensville Heights where, under his leadership, the streets stayed clean and the city ran smoothly. In the next chapter of his career, he brought his signature charm, directness, and charisma to coordinating pretrial efforts for the City of Bedford Heights.

A.C. will be remembered for his love of shooting pool, playing the bass guitar, and talking trash over a competitive game of Bid Whist, his sartorial splendor, his clean whip, his smooth style and demeanor. Fiercely loyal, he adored his family and friends and loved hosting gatherings, often found “holding court” at the grill on warm weekends. A proud son of Cleveland (with a little Laker love on the side), he wore his hometown like a badge of honor.

Family and Legacy

He is preceded in death by his father Big A.C., Mother Shirley, Mother Gert Williams (née Frost), brother Jimmy Williams, sisters Denise “Niecy” Freeman, Gail Robertson, and Pamela Malone (née Frost), nephew Jermaine McCall, and niece Tracy Malone.

His legacy continues through his loving wife, Gwen; his children Njema (Pamela), Paul, and Kenya (Daniel); his 11 grandchildren: Zamani, Ifeanyi, Drake, Tahirih, Nzinga, Iynala, Paul Jr., Amaya, Isabella, Makai, and Andre; his four great-grandchildren: Ayden, November, Naomi, and Andre Jr.; nephew Steven; niece Stacy; sister Debbie; and a host of extended family and friends who will forever carry his memory.

Service Information

A celebration of his life will be held on Tuesday, June 2nd at Calhoun Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.