David Henry Williams

1944 - 2025

David Henry Williams
09/10/1944 - 03/18/2025
David Henry Williams, union and social activist, and loving husband of Alice E. Rogoff, passed away on March 18th. David was born in Northampton, Massachusetts. His parents David Gardner Williams and Mildred (Johnson) then moved David's family back to their Midwest roots. David's father was an English professor at the University of Chicago and a violinist, and David's mother was a teacher and Latin scholar. David grew up listening to classical music quartets. David was athletic as a young man playing basketball and baseball, and was All-State in soccer at his high school, the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
David's college career started at Cornell College in Iowa. He transferred to George Williams for Social Work, and graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder in Sociology. He became active in the Boulder community, directing the Communications Center for street people, and food programs in the park.
David then moved to San Francisco where he became active in the Labor Movement. While working with teenagers in group homes run by the Children's Home Society, he and his co-workers began organizing with the union AFSCME. He then went to work for the Child Protection Center, where the staff was represented by SEIU, including locals 535 and 1021.
He became a Shop Steward and obtained a Certificate in Labor Studies from City College, San Francisco.
David was active in and became a leader of many union groups, including 1021 Retirees, Workers with Disabilities, and the California Alliance for Retired Americans for which he was a Vice President. He was a Delegate for his union to the San Francisco Labor Council and served as a Trustee. David was an early supporter of the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition's campaign to raise wages for low-income city workers. He also volunteered for Senior Disability Action and the Gray Panthers. He sang in the Rockin' Solidarity Labor Heritage Chorus, performed with the Work Tales Storytelling Project, and helped with the annual LaborFest. An in-depth oral history interview with David was conducted by the Labor Elders Speak! Project.
David and his wife Alice enjoyed California's nature, culture, and sports. They went North and South to see their friends' theater performances in Ukiah and Fresno. David sought out good folk music at Down Home Music and books at Bird and Beckett bookstore where he went to Alice's poetry readings. David's varied interests took him to Redwood Summer to Save the Redwoods.
When David retired, he and Alice traveled extensively. Trips to Cuba were a highlight as well as one to Varola, Sweden, the small village from which his maternal grandfather emigrated to the United States.
Meeting in the 1980s in San Francisco, Alice and David shared a long and happy life together. David's extended family also gave him joy. David helped many people, young and old, with his advice and friendship. He accomplished much in his life to bring about a better life for working people and will be remembered as a creative leader.
David is survived by his wife Alice, brother Willie (Susan), niece Emma (Dakota), nephew David (Anne), Great-niece Leah, pre-deceased by his sister Kirsten (Bill), and cousins.
Alice would like to thank the staff at UCSF Medical Center for taking care of David and in hospice. A memorial gathering will be held at the Center for Social and Economic Justice 2973 16th St. Suite 300 in San Francisco May 17th 2-5 PM.