SALT LAKE CITY — John Williams had an unmatched love for his family and his city, and his dedication to both had a tremendous impact on thousands of lives.

That's how family members described Williams at his funeral Tuesday, as more than 1,700 community members, friends and loved ones gathered at Abravenal Hall to honor the life of a man credited with helping to shape the skyline, culinary scene and culture of Utah's capital city.

Remarks focused on celebrating Williams' 72 years of life as a prominent restaurateur, historic building restorer and LGBT advocate, and little was said about the circumstances leading up to his death last week.

On May 22, Salt Lake firefighters were called to a fire at his Capitol Hill home but found him dead when they arrived.

Shortly after, Williams' estranged husband, Craig Crawford, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder and aggravated arson.

Williams' brother-in-law, David Larsen, said he will be greatly missed by his family as "we try to understand the circumstances" around his death.

"After being with John, you felt so full of life. It left you feeling like anything was possible. And when you were with John, anything was possible," said Williams' younger brother, David Williams, holding back tears. "It will not be easy adjusting to life without John, but hopefully we take his advice and each live life to its fullest like he did."

Williams was "spectacular in every way," said his niece, Laura Forsgren, for his "style, charisma, kindness, generosity, sincerity, his class, his spark, his love for his family, his grace, and for his twinkle in his eye."

His "contagious zest for life," Forsgren said, manifested in everything Williams did, from hosting larger-than-life family parties to helping lift his city to a whole new level.

"John was right beneath the surface of a lot of things in this community," Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams said before the funeral services.

Salt Lake County Councilman Jim Bradley said Williams was a "great ally in almost everything this county and city have done in terms of moving forward."

"From the Olympics to the conservation of historic buildings, to providing fine food at his restaurants, you name it," Bradley said. "He was there."

In 1978, Williams started his first renovation project and restaurant: the New Yorker. For the first time, Salt Lake City would have fresh, high-class seafood.

"He taught us how to eat," said Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City. "John was the first guy to bring into town real, honest-to-goodness, expensive food."

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John Williams remembered by friends as a man with vision

Friends and acquaintances remembered John Williams on Monday as a man with vision who quietly helped shape Salt Lake City's skyline, culinary scene and culture.

Williams co-founded Gastronomy Inc. with Tom Guinney, and the two businessmen went on to open several other restaurants, including Market Street Grill, Market Street Oyster Bar, Market Street Broiler, BaciTrattoria, Cafe Pierpont and China Star.

He was also know for restoring several buildings, including the Salt Lake Hardware Building, Ford Motor Co., Fire House No. 8, and the Pierpont Building.

"John gave me the joy of success," Guinney said. "He's going to be greatly missed by his family, friends and the community as a whole."

In 1994, Williams and Guinney ventured to Lillehammer, Norway, and set up a cafe in a farmhouse to cater to members of the International Olympic Committee — cooking and serving to persuade olympic organizers that the 2002 Olympics should be held in Utah.

"He may have been Salt Lake's finest ambassador," David Williams said.

Throughout his years in Salt Lake, Williams was also a "quiet" LGBT pioneer, Dabakis said.

Gastromony Inc. was one of Utah's first companies to provide spousal benefits and nondiscrimination protections for same-sex couples.

"The quiet bridges John built between the emerging LGBT community and the Utah business world made this a better place for all of us to live," Dabakis said in a statement last week.

As of Monday, police had not yet released a possible cause of death for Williams or disclosed how the fire at his home may have started. Investigators have only said there was evidence of a possible arson.

Crawford continues to be held behind bars while the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office prepares formal criminal charges.

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