On Tuesday, friends and family held a graveside service for a Knoxville veteran whose paintings have spread all throughout the country.
Although Navy Veteran Ron Williams, 69, died in late June, his art lives on.
"Everybody knows, that's a Ron Williams piece. You can just tell by looking at it,” said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. “You go in doctor’s offices and homes all around Knoxville, and some of the more prominent households have his work.”
Ron’s sister Elaine Williams said he battled with mental illness and found it difficult to make a living off his art – but what he lacked in fame or wealth, he made up for with passion.
"He was a brilliant creative, he was compassionate, and he loved people,” she said.
Mayor Burchett, who also attended the memorial, agreed. "He talked to me about his concerns, about how the mentally ill were being treated in our community," Burchett said.
At his service at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, the Honor Guard presented Williams with full military honors.
