Ronald Williams, known to many as Ron, was born in Jamaica, West Indies, on September 15, 1941. His life was marked by strength, purpose, quiet dignity, and a deep commitment to helping others find their way back to themseives.

At the age of three, Ron came to New York City with his father and was raised in Harlem by his grandmother, Grace Sergeant. She was an entrepreneur who owned several brownstones, and through her example he leamed early lessons about independence, business, discipline, and how to deal with people. Those lessons became part of the foundation he would stand on for the rest of his life.

At just seventeen years old, Ron entered the United States Army and joined the Airborne Division. The turns in his life eventually led him to a deeper calling: serving people whose lives had been broken by addiction, incarceration, and hardship.

That calling became a remarkable career in substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation that spanned more than fifty years. Ron was one of the founders of Phoenix House, helping to build one of the most influential recovery organizations in the country. He later developed the Su Casa residential program at the Lower Eastside Service Center.

In 1977, Ron founded New York Therapeutic Communities, Inc. and served as its President. Through programs serving incarcerated men and women, he became one of the early pioneers in the country working at the intersection of addiction, imprisonment, and rehabilitation. His work in facilities in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Brooklyn opened door countless individuals seeking healing.

His influence reached far beyond New York. Ron worked with the United States Department of State as an advisor and trainer, helping implement in-prison treatment programs in 32 states and in countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Colombia, Argentina, and Italy. He was also affiliated with the World Federation o Therapeutic Communities, where he shared his knowledge and helped advance the work of recovery.

Over the course of his distinguished career, Ron was recognized with numerous honors, including the New York State Governor's Lifetime Service Award for his extraordinary dedication and years of service in the field of addiction, the Harry Sholl Award from the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities, recognition from the New York State Bar Association for outstanding contributions to the Rule of Law and the Administration of Justice, and St. Bonaventure College's Award for Excellence in Public Service.

In 1968, Ron met the love of his life, Barbara, though they had first noticed one another three years earlier on a stairwell, It was a brief moment they both remembered, even though nothing came of it at the time. Barbara was a little too young then, and life had its own timing. When they found one another again, it became clear that something meaningful had been waiting to unfold.

Ron and Barbara were married on June 3, 1972, and together built a life rooted in love, laughter, devotion, and partnership. Ron was a compassionate, funny, intelligent, and loving man who made Barbara feel deeply cherished and safe. He was a provider in the truest sense - a man who always found a way, no matter how daunting the odds.

Together they raised their son, Shawn. and later poured that same love into their grandchildren and great grandchildren. Their first grandchild, Supreme, held a particularly special place in their hearts and was raised in their home with the help of his mother, Lashawn. Ron and Barbara also helped guide Shawn through life and through his 22 years of military service, offering him the steadiness, wisdom, and strength that defined their home.