Rhea Law’s husband, Wayne Williams, dies at the age of 84

*Rhea Law and Wayne Williams met in 1978 and were married for 39 years. USF PHOTO*

Wayne Williams, USF President Rhea Law’s husband, died last Thursday at the age of 84, according to a universitywide email sent on Monday.

Williams is survived by Law, two kids and two grandchildren, according to his obituary.

The cause of death was not disclosed in the statement.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1958 through 1961 and earned a degree in electronic engineering from the University of Florida, the statement read.

Law and Williams were married for 39 years, according to the statement.

They first met in 1978 over a citizens band (CB) radio when Law was commuting from Tampa to the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, according to a USF magazine feature article.

CB radios are short-range radios used when wireless telephone service is unavailable.

One day, a man’s voice over the radio said, “The girl in the little white Toyota, come back to me.” It was Williams, who persisted for several weeks, according to the feature article.

Law eventually accepted his invitation to join him for breakfast – a granola bar and a cup of coffee.

After a few breakfast dates, Williams shared he had been a car racer since he was 15, which matched Law’s interest in racing, according to a 2007 Oracle article.

The first gift Law received from Williams? A three-day trip to the Skip Barber Racing School at Sebring International Raceway, according to the feature article.

The couple made it a tradition to start each morning by having breakfast together in honor of their love story, according to the statement.

Breakfast time also included reading two chapters from the Bible together, a tradition that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the feature article.

Law said the secret to her success was planning and including her husband in discussions, according to a 2005 Tampa Bay Times, then named the St. Petersburg Times, article.

“Early on when Wayne and I were talking about getting married, we talked all about what that meant,” Law said in the article. “I told him, ‘I may not be home until very late at night. I may have to leave early in the morning. That has to be okay with you.’”

The couple’s Thanksgiving tradition was to outline their one-year, five-year and long-term goals, so they could work together to achieve them, The Tampa Bay Times, then named the St. Petersburg Times, reported in 2005.

Williams shared his wife’s enthusiasm for USF, often joining her in attending various USF events, fundraisers and football games, according to Monday’s statement.

The couple contributed to the Judy Genshaft Honors College by naming the staircase the “Rhea Law and Wayne Williams Grand Staircase,” according to the statement.

The USF Foundation created a memorial fund in Williams’ honor, which will be distributed to “numerous” university programs and initiatives Williams supported over the years.

The statement did not clarify which programs will receive the funds.

In a 2022 interview for Tampa Bay Business & Wealth, Law said her proudest moment was being selected as the eighth president of USF — and getting married to Williams, her “best friend” and husband.

Services to celebrate Williams’ life will be held on Saturday at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, according to his obituary.

Visitation is scheduled for 10 a.m., the funeral service for 11 a.m. and the reception for 12:15 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park in Tampa, and a livestream will be available on the church’s website.