Jeffrey Scott Williams, age 59, of Chelsea, Michigan died peacefully on October 27, 2025, with family at his side.
He was Chairman and CEO of several Ann Arbor based life sciences companies. He was an inventor on more than 40 patents, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (summa cum laude) from Alma College, and an MBA with high distinction from the University of Michigan.
Jeff loved to travel the world extensively with family and friends. Germany, London, Venice, and Arizona were among his favorites. He was extremely organized and never went on vacation without a PDF itinerary detailing the entire vacation.
He took his love of hiking to an entirely new level. He and his wife, Dawn, enjoyed the challenge of hiking Flatiron Mountain in the Superstition Mountain Range of Arizona. Once Jeff realized there was a higher peak in the same mountain range, he immediately set sights on conquering 5057, even though there was no official trail. Anyone who came for a visit to our Scottsdale, Arizona condo was taken on a hike in the Sonoran Desert.
His passion for cycling, whether a morning coffee ride to Zou Zou’s or participating in the Make-A-Wish 300-mile bike ride was trained for as a competition. He organized trainings, coordinated schedules, mapped out directions, checked the weather, and set up trips. Jeff’s enthusiasm for biking was shared by family and friends, including Dawn, who was the last holdout.
Jeff loved watching and attending UM football games. If Michigan scored a touchdown or fumbled at the goal line, we would hear joyful cheers of victory or deafening shouts of displeasure, laced with profanity, echoing throughout the house. He was a Michigan Wolverine Alumni and fan, along with his youngest daughter, Carrie, who shares his love of higher education and Michigan football games.
He enjoyed watching sci-fi, action and adventure movies especially with his daughter, Jennifer. This rang true as, together, they recited National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation every Christmas Eve.
Jeff’s summer holidays and weekends were spent with family and friends on Cavanaugh Lake, enjoying pontoon rides and swimming at the sandbar.
Jeff is survived by his loving wife, Dawn (Tahaney) Williams; two daughters, Jennifer Williams of Chelsea, and Carrie (Henry) Hitt of Ann Arbor; his mother, Sue (Gary) Trumble of St. Charles; and three sisters, Lori (Gary) Blohm of Brooklyn, Amanda (Jeff) Gamble of Saline, and Sara (Patrick) Barckholtz of St. Charles; as well as several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and his cat, Rory.
A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in Chelsea, with visitation at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Regents of the University of Michigan, Jeff and Dawn Williams Kidney Cancer Innovation Fund, 3003 S. State Street, Ste 8000, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1276, or Paws With A Cause, 4646 Division Street. Wayland, MI 49348-9727, https://pawswithacause.org/donate/
Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.
