Bruce H. Williams, a former mayor of Franklin Township and a popular talk radio host for nearly three decades, died on February 9 after a brief illness. He was 86.
Williams was elected to the township council in a June 1967 runoff, one of three members of a Republican-backed slate to win a contest for four seats. He finished second, winning by 99 votes. He was re-elected in 1971 by 163 votes. He served as deputy mayor and mayor.
In 1973, Williams ran for the State Assembly, but lost to Democrats William Hamilton and Joseph Patero by a 2-1 margin.
He began his career in radio in 1975 as the host of “At Your Service” on WCTC in New Brunswick, and then moved to WMCA in New York. He later joined WNBC in New York.
Williams served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and drove ice cream and beer delivery trucks and taxicabs before going into the insurance, night club and Christmas tree businesses
In 1999, Williams was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and was sixth on the Talkers Magazine list of greatest talk show hosts in 2002.
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Bruce Williams was also a Republican candidate for the State Assembly from the 17th LD (Middlesex and Somerset Counties) in 1973:
I edited Bruce Williams’ syndicated news column in the mid-90s. He was a consummate gentleman and ended every phone call exactly as he did on the radio: “I wish you well, my friend.” I remember that I didn’t know the phrase “street name” back then, as in “He didn’t keep the stock certificate in his drawer at home — his shares were held in street name at Merrill Lynch.” It’s an incredibly basic concept/phrase but Bruce patiently explained it to me, even though he was a giant star and I was a 24-year-old putz put in charge of this column that probably went to a thousand newspapers. A good guy and I’m sad to see him go. Plus … I had no idea he’d been mayor of Franklin Township!