A Quiet Buffalo Hero: James Harris Williams

A Mass of Christian Burial is set for August. 9 for James Harris (“Harry”) Williams, a prominent regional businessman.

Mr. Williams, 92, died Aug. 2 after a brief illness.

A graduate of Stella Niagara Military Academy and Bishop Duffy High School, Mr. Williams was a Niagara Falls native who served in the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Willaims, an aircraft mechanic, served stints in Korea and Japan before returning to the area following his discharge in 955.

Mr. Williams and his late brother, Joseph, ran Harru’s Bar in downtown Niagara Falls and then the Ted Ra Club in Wheatfield..

Both operated while crews were building the Niagara Falls power project in the early 1960s. It was during that period, that Mr. Williams made contacts with power project crews that led him into the metals salvaging work, where he sold the products to area scrap dealers.

“He was an early recycler, ahead of his time,” recalled James Williams, one of Mr. Willians’ 11 nephews and nieces.

The salvage work led Mr. Williams to expand into the construction and demolition work, where he founded Demolition of Buffalo Inc. in the mid-1960s with his brother, Francis.
In the 1970s, Mr. Williams expanded his holdings into the landfill business and founded Niagara Recycling Co. in Niagara Falls. Niagara Recycling was a permitted landfill that accepted municipal waste.

During that same period, Mr. Williams also founded Niagara Sanitation, a garbage collection business that focused on municipal contracts.

A savvy businessman and investor, Mr. Williams continued to diversify his holdings.
“Harry listened and when he spoke, people listened to him,” James Williams said.
At the same time, Mr. Williams joined his business partner Lawrence Reger in investing in a wide range of local companies including Nader Construction.

In 1983, Mr. Williams sold Niagara Sanitation to BFI (Browning Ferris Inc.).
Mr. Williams continued to invest in local businesses including Petter & Mure, an upscale clothing store in downtown Buffalo, Beatty Motors in Niagara Falls, the former Shooters (and The Pier) restaurant in Buffalo, and the former Jafco Marina, also in Buffalo, that was rebranded HarborPlace Marina and Harry’s HarborPlace Grill.

Among his other investments include Integrated Waste Services Inc., a Buffalo recycling company, and Ontario Specialty Contracting - a Buffalo company led by his nephew Jon Williams.

In addition, Mr. Willaims developed a series of shopping centers and retail complexes in a stretch of Florida between Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

A quietly philanthropic civic leader, Mr. Williams founded the Mary Williams scholarship program at Niagara University, through its St. Vincent DePaul Charities.

The son of Mary Dahar and Harris Williams, Mr. Williams siblings include brothers Francis and Joseph and a sister, Martha  Bennett. He is also survived by 4 grandchildren and 11 nieces and nephews.

The mass is scheduled for 1:15 p.m., August. 9 at St. Mary of the Cataract at 237 4th Street in Niagara Falls.