Dr. Eldred Leslie Williams Jr.

Eldred Leslie Williams, Jr., 48, of Seneca, South Carolina, died unexpectedly on July 10, 2014, in Greenville, South Carolina. Leslie was a native Floridian, born in Tallahassee on November 18, 1965. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1984; earned a double degree in Asian Studies and International Affairs (Phi Beta Kappa) from Florida State University in 1988; a Master of Arts in Anthropology from Florida State University in 1990; and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997. From 1991 to 1993, he served with distinction as a Monbushô Graduate Research Scholar through the Japanese Ministry of Education at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, where his research focused on the history of Japan’s Edo Period. He also performed extensive graduate fieldwork at the Hakozaki Shrine in Fukuoka, Japan; was a Visiting Professor at Nagoya University in Nagoya, Japan; and served his church for two years as a full-time missionary in Taiwan. He spoke six languages and embraced all others. For the past 15 years, Leslie was an Associate Professor of Japanese in the Department of Languages at Clemson University. He also served for the past three years as Director of the University’s Language & International Trade Program. His academic research focused on Japanese pedagogy, Shintô rituals, pre-Meiji Japanese history, Taoist cosmology, and Taoist health maximization practices. He was honored on two occasions to be designated an Outstanding Clemson Professor by the University’s Student Government. In 2007, he published his first book, Spirit Tree: Origins of Cosmology in Shintô Ritual at Hakozaki. At the time of his death, he was finalizing two other books for publication and preparing his application to become a full Professor at Clemson. Before moving to Clemson, he held faculty positions at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; and Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. In each of his academic endeavors, Leslie made treasured, life-long friends of his students and colleagues. He was especially proud of his students in the Japanese language, culture, history, and literature courses he enjoyed so much at Clemson, and also the Institute, Sunday School, Priesthood, and young men’s classes he taught for many years at church. Leslie is survived by Michelle, his wife of 25 years, and their three children: Emmy (21), Bethany (17), and Ethan (13); his father Leslie, Sr., of Tallahassee; brother Fred (and his wife Samantha) of Austin, Texas; sister Margaret (and her husband Whitney) of Colorado Springs, Colorado; sister Joy (and her husband Scott) of Sugar Land, Texas; brother Joel (and his wife Kristy) of Hangzhou, China; nine nephews—Maxwell, Adam, Spencer, Carter, Grant, Hunter, Thomas, Charlie, and Elliot; and three nieces—Olivia, Grace, and Catherine. He was preceded in death by his mother, Dr. Joyce Wolfgang Williams. Leslie loved his family with all his heart, his students and dear friends (just as much), his enormous library (and everybody else’s), enunciating, Japan, expressing his love by cooking every cuisine (preferably for a crowd), staying in touch, the Pedro Patrol, teaching moments, self-improvement, do-it-yourself sushi, history and cultures of all kinds, Greek mythology, South American archaeology, scripture study, woodblock prints, the apostle Paul, healthy choices, early-morning classes, vigorous physical exercise, Taekwondo, Scouting, purple irises, ferns, moss gardens with stone lanterns, sushi in all its delicious forms, Cervantes, Skype, tai chi at 5 a.m. on the front lawn, vintage Japanese TV shows, the remake of Freaky Friday, and giving short backrubs. We will miss him until we see him again. The family will receive visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, on Sunday, July 13, at Davenport Funeral Home, 311 S Carolina Highway 11, West Union, South Carolina 29696. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, July 14, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5003 Wells Highway, Seneca, South Carolina 29678.

Dr. Eldred Leslie Williams Jr.

November 18, 1965 - July 10, 2014