Williams, Richard L.: Files, 1981‑1989

Office of Drug Policy in Office of Policy Development

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Scope and Content Note

Scope Note

This collection consists of six series: SERIES I: Subject File; SERIES II: Testing - Drug Free Workplace; SERIES III: White House Conference for a Drug Free America; SERIES IV: AIDS and HIV Issues; SERIES V: Federal Drug Strategy Publications, 1985-1985: Agency Input, Edits and Drafts; and SERIES VI: Reference Material.

Series List

SERIES I: SUBJECT FILE

SERIES 02: TESTING - DRUG FREE WORKPLACE

SERIES 03: WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE FOR A DRUG FREE AMERICA

SERIES 04: AIDS AND HIV ISSUES

SERIES 05: REFERENCE MATERIAL

SERIES 06: FEDERAL DRUG STRATEGY PUBLICATIONS, 1981-1985: AGENCY IMPUT, EDITS, AND DRAFTS

Biography

Biography

Richard Lucas Williams, (September 4, 1934-November 8, 2021), was a retired U.S. Army officer and federal employee specializing in federal drug abuse policies and issues.

Williams was born in Kirkersville, Ohio. He attended high school and college (Ohio University) in Athens, Ohio, graduating in 1956. He was the cadet colonel of his ROTC program and upon graduation received a regular commission in the U.S. Army.

He was a decorated U.S. Army Infantry officer, Senior Parachutist, Senior Army Aviator, and Comptroller. Williams flew both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters and served in Korea and Vietnam. From 1973 through 1975, Mr. Williams was assigned to the Executive Office of the President to work with Federal Drug Management in the Office of Management and Budget and then working with the House and Senate Budget Committees.

Williams retired in 1977 as a Lieutenant Colonel with 21 years of military service. He was then named Assistant Director of Drug Policy Management (part of the Office of Policy Development) at the White House focusing on management. After office reorganization he became the Senior Staff Member in the Drug Abuse Policy Office/OPD in the Carter, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush Administrations.

In the Carter Administration and the early Reagan Administration, his duties included budget analysis, organizational budget and management recommendations, and he served on several interagency review groups, most notably a study of United States border control.

As the Reagan Administration increased their attention and focus on drug abuse and drug criminality, the Office of Drug Abuse Policy acted as an autonomous unit within the Office of Policy Development. Williams' responsibilities then centered primarily on drug abuse policy, advice on federal drug law enforcement activities, and assisting in the preparation of the annual Federal Drug Strategy report.

Williams retired from the Civil Service in 1989. He continued to serve as a consultant to the White House Office of Policy Development and the Council of Economic Advisers for another four years.

After retiring, Williams was active in his community and church in the Alexandria, Virginia area. He taught Sunday School classes and led Bible studies for over 40 years at Washington Farm United Methodist Church.

In 2008, Mr. Williams moved to Sunnyside Retirement Community in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Shortly after that, an accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. Even confined to a wheelchair in the nursing care facility, Williams continued to be involved in his new community and church. He was part of the resident council for Sunnyside’s Health Care center and enjoyed teaching residents about computer technology, meeting with “The Buzzards,” a group of fellow former pilots, and assisting with nurses’ training classes as they learned how to care for quadriplegic patients.

Williams passed away on November 8, 2021 at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Donna (DeVoe) Williams.

Record Type

Textual

Last Modified Date

2024-03-27

WHORM Alpha File

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Williams, Richard L.: Files, 1981‑1989

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