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Submitted: 6/11/14 • Approved: 6/12/14 • Last Updated: 6/15/14 • R1011745-G0-S3
May 7, 1923 - August 8, 2012
*Obituary & Photo
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Billy Rex Williams, age 89, was born May 7th, 1923 in Choctaw, Arkansas to parents William Henry and Melba Pearl Jones Williams. He died August 8th, 2012 in Clinton, Arkansas leaving behind his wife of 65 years, Winnie Faye. He is also survived by his children; Roxie Williams, Bruce Williams, Bridgett (Doug) Jones, Brett (Joyce) Williams and his grandchildren; Caleb, Tori, Danielle, Stephen, Chloe, Dylan, Reatta, and Tyler. He also leaves a brother, Tommy Dan Williams of Fairfield, California and sister, Mary Ruth Williams Webb of Smackover, Arkansas.
His mother, Pearl, passed away when Bill was seven. He and his younger brother spent much time in their youth hunting and in the early 1950’s, held a record for killing 13 bears in Northern California during a single season.
Billy R. Williams was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 with the 497th Port Battalion and assigned to the 252nd Port Company with Transport Division in the C-B-I Theater. Having had training on 30-Ton Whirley floating cranes and a variety of land cranes, Private Williams began skillfully operating one of three large port cranes at the Port of Calcutta. This port handled more tonnage in a twenty-four hour period than any other Army Port, unloading everything from food to airplanes to tanks. Private Williams was one of the men instrumental for this achievement, which led to General Stillwell recommending his promotion to Technical -4 Sergeant. This meant extra money sent stateside to help his dad and young sister on their farm.
After the war ended, Bill returned to Arkansas to marry his boyhood sweetheart, Winnie Faye Story on January 22nd, 1947. They established their home in California where Bill worked as a heavy equipment operator. In 1968, he and his family moved to a farm in Formosa, Arkansas where they raised cattle and hay. Later, he spent ten years working on the Alaskan Pipeline which afforded them the opportunity to travel in Europe and across the U.S.
He enjoyed hunting elk in Colorado and Montana; however, his true passion was his farm where he traded mules and horses and restored old wagons. He forever kept folks laughing at his jokes or listening to his true-life stories, and would drop his own work to help a neighbor or even a stranger. He is credited with saving at least five lives and was devoted to his Band of Brothers from the 252nd Port Company and their annual reunions. With the help of the Lord, Billy Rex Williams lived the life he dreamed!
Contributed on 6/11/14 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 1011745