Emil Leroy Williams

Emil Leroy Williams of Rice, MN was born to Myrtle Baker Williams and Barney Bud Williams in the Pine Ridge Indian Hospital in on May 5, 1934. He attended grade school at Garner School about eight miles west of Wanblee, and high school in Kadoka. After high school graduation, he attended North Central Bible Institut in Minneapolis. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the Army in December 1956. He served two and a half years in Germany. During his leave time he took trips to Belgium, France, England, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. When he was discharged from the Army in December 1959, he picked up a job teaching elementary school with eight grades in a log cabin in western South Dakota. The next year he moved to a white schoolhouse on the prairie and taught seven grades.
In the winter of 1960, he became engaged to Beulah Irene MacKinney and they were married on June 17, 1961. To this union were born seven children. Emil and Beulah pastored a community church in Norse, South Dakota for three years. In 1964, they moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota to earn his BA and masters degree. He taught 3rd grade in the St. Cloud School District and was the first male primary teacher in St. Cloud. While living in St. Cloud, he was instrumental in starting a Full Gospel Men's Chapter and a Christian school which is still going today. 
After retirement he renewed his minister’s license and as a result, at the age of 77, he and his wife felt God calling them to start a church in Rice, MN. They pastored it for five years and at the age of 82, he retired. 
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Jon; great grandson, Atlas Moyer; three sisters and one brother.