William "Bill" Williams

Funeral services for William J. " Bill" Williams 89, of Gainesville are scheduled for 10:00 A.M. Thursday April 8, 2010 at the St. Paul's Episcopal Church with Father Chuck Haugh officiating. The service will conclude with Masonic rites. Interment with full miltary honors will follow at the DFW National Cemetery at 2:30 P.M., under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll and Son funeral home.

Beloved husband, father, and friend, Mr. Williams passed away unexpectedly early Thursday morning, April 1, 2010.

The son of the late William J. Williams Sr. and Catherine Curtiss, he was born on March 11,1921 in Toledo OH, but raised in Detroit, MI and Harlingen, TX. Following high school, he joined the U. S. Navy in 1939; as a radioman stationed aboard the U.S.S. Alwyn in Hawaii, he survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941, and saw heavy action throughout the Pacfic during World War II. While on leave in New Orleans he met Rosemary Cucinello. They were later married on December 8, 1943, and spent the next 59 years together, until her death in 2002.

During his Naval career, Mr. Williams was stationed all over the world, most notably in the Antarctic during Operation Deep Freeze II, part of the International Geophyiscal Year 1957-1958. While based at Little America Station on the Ross Sea Ice Shelf, he became the first person to send a radio-transmitted photograph to the United States.

Following tours of duty in Paris TX, New Iberia LA, Adak, AK and San Diego CA, Bill retired from the Navy in 1964 with the rank of E-9 Master Chief, and remained an active on-call member of the Naval Fleet Reserve for many years.

Upon leaving the Navy, Bill found work with the Philco Corporation in Albuquerque NM and in Thule, Greenland. He taught Electronics for the Job Corps in both Guthrie OK and Liberal KS. While teaching full time in Guthrie, he attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, earning his Bachelor of Science degree and, in 1976, his Master of Science degree in Education. He retired from teaching in 1985, in Kansas.

A 33rd Degree Mason, Mr. Williams devoted over 60 years of his life to Masonry, serving always as a mentor to many and a servant to all. A past Master of numerous Texas lodges, he was especially active in the Liberal KS and Guthrie OK lodges. He honorably represented the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the York Rite College, and the Red Cross of Constantine. He was a past District Deputy at Grand Lodge of Texas, and a permanent voting member of the Texas Grand Lodge of Freemasons.

Bill was also a member of the Kiwanis Club, the Shriners and the City of Gainesville Citizens Police Academy. He was an avid supporter of numerous charities including the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

A good samaritan in the truest sense, Bill was a faithful member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church where for many years he served as warden, lay reader and on-call repairman whenever needed.

He is preceded in death by his parents, three sisters and his cherished wife Rosemary. Bill is survived by his only child Sandy Williams of Plano TX.

Pallbearers will be Masonic brothers Ed Morrison, Mike Haverland, Brian Davis, Jason Klingner, Mark Tackett and Tom Eastman.

"Old" Bill Williams will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. May his honesty, integrity and good works serve as an example to others and remain always in their hearts.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas TX.