Editing Percy Williams (sprinter) (section)

==Later life and death==
In August 1940, Williams joined the [[Non-Permanent Active Militia]], his occupation listed as "Salesman" and religion as "C of E" ([[Church of England]]). He also served as a civilian pilot during [[World War&nbsp;II]], ferrying aircraft around the country for [[Canadian Airways]], then became a civilian flight instructor with the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]].<ref name="SH">{{cite web|title=Percy Williams: Later Life and Today|url=http://www.samuelhawley.com/percylaterlife.html|publisher=samuelhawley.com|access-date=2 August 2018|author=Samuel Hawley|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619204731/http://www.samuelhawley.com/percylaterlife.html|archive-date=19 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1971, after his former mentor's death, Williams was asked how much credit was due to Granger for his Olympic success. "Offhand, I'd say 100 percent," Williams answered.<ref name="SH"/>

In the mid-1960s, he donated his two gold medals from the 1928 Olympics to the [[BC Sports Hall of Fame]], saying he wanted them to be seen and remembered. In 1980, they were stolen never to be found again; gold prices at the time were at historic highs and it was suspected the medals had been melted down.<ref name="cbc2023"/> It was said at that time Williams simply shrugged off the loss and no replacements were ever issued. In 2023 the stolen medals were replaced by newly minted replicas, recreated by the International Olympic Committee at the request of Williams family, who then rededicated them to B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name="cbc2023">{{cite news |last1=Larsen |first1=Karin |title=Family of Canadian track legend receives replica Olympic gold medals after originals were stolen |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/family-of-canadian-track-legend-receives-replica-olympic-gold-medals-after-originals-were-stolen-1.6758000 |access-date=25 February 2023 |publisher=CBC Sports |date=23 February 2023}}</ref>

In later years, Williams grew bitter about his sporting experiences, culminating in being the only living Canadian Olympic gold medalist who refused the federal government's invitation to attend the [[1976 Summer Olympics]] in [[Montreal]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Yesterday's anti-heroes|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sydney/story/0,,373476,00.html|work=The Guardian|access-date=3 September 2018|author=Nick Mason|date=26 September 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904011333/https://www.theguardian.com/sydney/story/0,,373476,00.html|archive-date=4 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1979, he was made an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]].<ref>[http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=2366 Percy A. Williams] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112900/http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=2366 |date=2016-03-04 }}, Order of Canada</ref>

Williams, who never married, lived with his mother, Dot, until her death in 1980, at the age of 92.<ref name=Tyee/> After that, he lived on alone and suffered from terrible [[arthritis|arthritic]] pain.

A keen collector of guns, Williams shot himself in the head with a shotgun he had been awarded in 1928 as a prize for his Olympic feat. His suicide was a major surprise to everyone and no note was left.<ref name="Hawley">Samuel Hawley, ''I Just Ran: Percy Williams, World's Fastest Human'' (Ronsdale Press, 2011), p. 272.</ref> He was interred at Masonic Cemetery of [[British Columbia]], Burnaby, Canada.