Cable Pioneer Carl Williams, 87, former co-founder and CEO of Colorado cable operator TelEvents, died Nov. 27 of natural causes.
Williams, a Korean War veteran and a fourth-generation cattle rancher, broke into the cable industry in 1957, partnering with cable pioneer Bill Daniels to form TelEvents to acquire cable properties in the West. Daniels sold his interest in TelEvents to Williams in 1963, while Williams continued to expand the company, acquiring systems and franchises in Wyoming, Colorado, California, Montana and Florida. Williams sold the TelEvents to Tele-Communications Inc. in 1986.
Williams was named a Cable Pioneer in 1969 by the Cable Center. His oral history can be found here.
A pilot in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict, Williams flew the P-51 Mustang and America's first jet fighter, the F-80 Shooting Star, which spurred a life-long love of aviation.
Willams was elected to the Colorado state Senate in 1968 and served as the Chairman of the State Senate Affairs Committee. After declining to run for a second term, he became chairman of the Colorado Republican Party in 1975 and 1976, remaining active in state and national politics for the rest of his life.
Williams supported the advancement of ethics and values in education, establishing programs including the Carl M. Williams Chair for Ethics at the University of Wyoming, and the Carl M. Williams Institute of Ethics and Values at the University of Denver.
Other charities he was involved in included the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, The Arthritis Foundation, The Greenway Foundation, The Episcopal Church and The Colorado Symphony.
He is survived by his wife Ginny Williams; daughter Elle P. Williams and her husband Greg Eggert of Sedona, Ariz.; and Mike and Deepali Williams of Denver; and his grandchildren Michael, Cody and Lee.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Dec. 4, at 2:30 pm, at St. John's Cathedral, 1350 Washington St., Denver. Reception location will be announced after the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are being made in Carl's name to Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.
