Arch H Williams was born in Malad, Idaho on May 12, 1957, to loving parents, Maisie Harris and Cordell Lewis Williams. Like his oldest daughter, McKenna, he was born on Mother’s Day.
He was the 4th of six children. He had two older sisters, Dianne and Cristine, an older brother, Lew and two younger sisters Trudy and Kathleen.
He grew up in Malad, Idaho where he helped on the family farm and cattle ranch. He attended Malad High School graduating in 1975.
After high school he served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Antonio, TX.
After returning from his mission he attended BYU, graduating from the Design Program. He got a job at Clark Leaming as a designer and worked in Salt Lake for four years before he was hired as the Director of Design for Karen Butera in Palo Alto, CA.
He met Kiley Poole at work, and after collaborating on many projects together they began dating and were married on April 22, 1989, in the Los Angeles LDS Temple.
They lived in the Bay Area and there they had their first-born son, Clayton.
Arch then took a job in Bakersfield where he worked for Castle and Cook Design Firm where they lived for two years and had their second child, a daughter, McKenna.
His job then took him to Thousand Oaks, California and they moved to a small town called Moorpark. In Moorpark they would have two more children, Nicholas and then their little Caboose Cambria. It was here that they would put down roots, raise their family and make lifelong friendships.
Arch worked as a designer for many years before starting his own design firm, affectionately calling it Clayton Harris Williams inc - after his first born. His projects were working in high end residential homes and commercial design on the west and east coast.
Arch loved living in California. Though he had grown up in the beautiful green countryside of Idaho, spent his college years at the base of the Rocky Mountains, and traveled the world over - his favorite place on earth- and where he would always call home, was the rolling hills and shorelines of Southern California. As painful as it is, it does seem fitting that he was exactly where he would want to be to spend his final days.
In 2015 Arch and his family moved to Highland, Utah. He really grew to love living in Highland and especially near American Fork Canyon.
He loved to travel, have adventures, eat and cook delicious food- he was an amazing cook! He enjoyed baseball games, rodeos, concerts and plays. He painted, he sketched- he was a gifted storyteller- he even wrote a novel.
Arch made life more interesting. He had a gift for seeing beauty in places before it existed. He had an incredible gift for creativity which aided him in being a very successful designer and would later lead to him getting his job working in the temple department for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Arch was a devoted and faithful, life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had many callings in his wards and stakes- including serving as Bishop, a counselor in the Stake Presidency, Elder’s Quorum president, teaching Sunday School and being a Young Men’s leader. Of all the callings he had his favorite place to be was with the youth. He touched countless lives with his service and devotion.
He served his Father in Heaven faithfully and tirelessly, not only in his profession, but also in his callings. His family remembers him coming home from a long day after meeting with clients and then walk in the door, put on his suit and tie and humbly go to the church and spend hours helping people. He would sit and listen to their problems as if they were the most important person in the world; offering advice and counsel, and reminding them of how important they were to their Creator.
In the fall of 2016 Arch received a one of a kind, newly created position in the church. He would be the Temple Art Manager. This job would take him traveling the world, elevating our sacred houses of worship with art. He would go room by room, wall by wall, through hundreds of temples; using his gift to either place, move or commission a piece of artwork for that specific spot. Every piece, personally chosen and placed. His efforts made all the difference for people who came to feel closer to their Heavenly Father and Savior. He helped them see themselves, their lives, and their homes, represented in those hallowed halls.
Arch truly was an incredible person, but it would be remiss if we didn’t include that part of what made him so, was his amazing wife, Kiley. She was his partner, his friend, his greatest supporter. It was together that they created a home where the spirit was felt and laughter and joy were abundant. All were welcome. All were loved. And still are. They really have opened their home and hearts to the masses. Providing a sacred place of love and refuge from life’s storms.
Arch was witty and smart. Deeply respected by all who knew him. He was a mentor, an encourager, and because he saw the best in you, he made you want to be better. He met people right where they were, on their life journey and loved without judgement. He saw the world through a lens of joy, blessings and beauty, but also; sorrow, pain, and sadness. This is part of what made him so special and his wisdom and advice invaluable.
It wouldn’t be possible to talk about Arch without talking about how much he loved his family. He was an extraordinary involved, unconditionally loving and proud father and papa. As well as being a devoted husband. One of his greatest joys was becoming a grandfather to Maisy, Millie, Stevie and Banks. He was fortunate to have much of his family living with him over the last few months - though it was close quarters, he would tell you it meant the world to him, and he loved every minute of it.
Of all of his accomplishments, and there were many, he would tell you his family was his greatest one. His children, Clayton, McKenna, Nick and Cambria, are all beautiful reflections of his talents and goodness. His legacy is safe in their very capable and loving hands
Arch had a tremendous amount of faith in his Father in Heaven and His Savior. Even when things seemed dark or impossible he kept his eyes fixed on Them. He never gave up on Them and it is maybe one of the most important lessons he taught us all, through pure example.
Arch was called back home on July 26, 2026, in his beloved Southern California, following open heart surgery. He was no doubt welcomed with loving arms by His Savior, His dad, his mom, his sister and many others who preceded him in death. He is survived by three sisters and one brother. His wife, Kiley; two sons, Clayton and Nicholas; two daughters, Mckenna and Cambria; his son in laws Kolby and Chase and his little goslings: Maisy, Millie, Stevie and Banks. He was our husband, our father, our papa, our brother, our uncle, and our friend.
Arch was and will always be so deeply loved. He was one of a kind. The best of the best. We will miss him more than words can express. God Be With You Till We Meet Again.
Funeral Services for Arch will be held on Friday, August 7 at 11:00 am at the Highland LDS Stake Center with a viewing the night before from 6:00 - 8:30 pm at the same location 5335 West 11200 North, Highland, UT 84003. For those unable to attend, services will be streamed via Zoom. Please click on the "Watch Services" link above.