John Maurice Williams went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 14, 2006, after a prolonged and valorous battle with Parkinson's disease.
Born March 3, 1923, in Murphysboro, Ill., he was the youngest of five brothers in the family of Roswell and Jenny Williams. In his youth, the family moved to Chicago, where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Thelma Harper.
After graduating high school, like so many in his generation, John joined the military to defend his country in the raging conflagration of World War II, a conflict which would later claim one of his brothers.
He became a B-25 pilot and completed 66 missions as a flight commander, stationed at Corsica. He was an outstanding pilot, three times bringing his crew home in aircraft so severely crippled they were scrapped immediately upon landing. Captain John Williams earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 11 Air Medals, seven Battle Stars and two Presidential Unit Citations for his courage and skill in leading attacks against such difficult and well-defended targets as the Brenner Pass in the Italian Alps. As a member of the 488th Bombardment Squadron, 350th Bombardment Group, he was a lifetime member of the 57th Bomb Wing Association.
John and Thelma married while he was in pilot training, and after the war they ended up moving to California where he would pursue a career in real estate, and where they would raise their five sons. He remained active in the Air Force Reserve, finally retiring in 1983 as a lieutenant colonel.
While he remained busy providing for his large family, he always found time to attend the innumerable sporting events that his five sons would enjoy. He also vigorously pursued one of his personal passions, golf, and proved to be a very talented player, garnering more trophies than all his sons combined.
John and Thelma moved to Vacaville in 1989 to be near Travis AFB and David Grant Hospital, where Thelma would work for 12 years in the chaplain's office and John worked as a volunteer at the information desk. They are most grateful for all of the skilled and compassionate care received at the hands of the many outstanding doctors and nurses at David Grant Hospital over the last seventeen years.
John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Thelma; their five sons and their wives, grandchildren, Jeffrey Jr., Jacqueline, Yanna, Travis, Sara, Orion, Brianna, Rachel, Brooke, Britt; step-grandchildren, Tom and Kim, and great-grandchildren, Logan, Kyle and Kennedy, also survive him, as well as other extended family members. He was predeceased by his grandson, Chip.
John displayed great courage throughout his life, while young and in combat, and in his late years, battling the ravages of Parkinson's disease. His legacy is one of bravery, fierce determination and perseverance, and love and loyalty towards God, his country and his family. He will be greatly missed and always remembered as the hero he was to all of us.
A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, at the Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home, Vacaville.
Source: Published in The Reporter on Jan. 17, 2006
Born March 3, 1923, in Murphysboro, Ill., he was the youngest of five brothers in the family of Roswell and Jenny Williams. In his youth, the family moved to Chicago, where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Thelma Harper.
After graduating high school, like so many in his generation, John joined the military to defend his country in the raging conflagration of World War II, a conflict which would later claim one of his brothers.
He became a B-25 pilot and completed 66 missions as a flight commander, stationed at Corsica. He was an outstanding pilot, three times bringing his crew home in aircraft so severely crippled they were scrapped immediately upon landing. Captain John Williams earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 11 Air Medals, seven Battle Stars and two Presidential Unit Citations for his courage and skill in leading attacks against such difficult and well-defended targets as the Brenner Pass in the Italian Alps. As a member of the 488th Bombardment Squadron, 350th Bombardment Group, he was a lifetime member of the 57th Bomb Wing Association.
John and Thelma married while he was in pilot training, and after the war they ended up moving to California where he would pursue a career in real estate, and where they would raise their five sons. He remained active in the Air Force Reserve, finally retiring in 1983 as a lieutenant colonel.
While he remained busy providing for his large family, he always found time to attend the innumerable sporting events that his five sons would enjoy. He also vigorously pursued one of his personal passions, golf, and proved to be a very talented player, garnering more trophies than all his sons combined.
John and Thelma moved to Vacaville in 1989 to be near Travis AFB and David Grant Hospital, where Thelma would work for 12 years in the chaplain's office and John worked as a volunteer at the information desk. They are most grateful for all of the skilled and compassionate care received at the hands of the many outstanding doctors and nurses at David Grant Hospital over the last seventeen years.
John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Thelma; their five sons and their wives, grandchildren, Jeffrey Jr., Jacqueline, Yanna, Travis, Sara, Orion, Brianna, Rachel, Brooke, Britt; step-grandchildren, Tom and Kim, and great-grandchildren, Logan, Kyle and Kennedy, also survive him, as well as other extended family members. He was predeceased by his grandson, Chip.
John displayed great courage throughout his life, while young and in combat, and in his late years, battling the ravages of Parkinson's disease. His legacy is one of bravery, fierce determination and perseverance, and love and loyalty towards God, his country and his family. He will be greatly missed and always remembered as the hero he was to all of us.
A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, at the Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home, Vacaville.
Source: Published in The Reporter on Jan. 17, 2006
John Maurice Williams went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 14, 2006, after a prolonged and valorous battle with Parkinson's disease.
Born March 3, 1923, in Murphysboro, Ill., he was the youngest of five brothers in the family of Roswell and Jenny Williams. In his youth, the family moved to Chicago, where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Thelma Harper.
After graduating high school, like so many in his generation, John joined the military to defend his country in the raging conflagration of World War II, a conflict which would later claim one of his brothers.
He became a B-25 pilot and completed 66 missions as a flight commander, stationed at Corsica. He was an outstanding pilot, three times bringing his crew home in aircraft so severely crippled they were scrapped immediately upon landing. Captain John Williams earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 11 Air Medals, seven Battle Stars and two Presidential Unit Citations for his courage and skill in leading attacks against such difficult and well-defended targets as the Brenner Pass in the Italian Alps. As a member of the 488th Bombardment Squadron, 350th Bombardment Group, he was a lifetime member of the 57th Bomb Wing Association.
John and Thelma married while he was in pilot training, and after the war they ended up moving to California where he would pursue a career in real estate, and where they would raise their five sons. He remained active in the Air Force Reserve, finally retiring in 1983 as a lieutenant colonel.
While he remained busy providing for his large family, he always found time to attend the innumerable sporting events that his five sons would enjoy. He also vigorously pursued one of his personal passions, golf, and proved to be a very talented player, garnering more trophies than all his sons combined.
John and Thelma moved to Vacaville in 1989 to be near Travis AFB and David Grant Hospital, where Thelma would work for 12 years in the chaplain's office and John worked as a volunteer at the information desk. They are most grateful for all of the skilled and compassionate care received at the hands of the many outstanding doctors and nurses at David Grant Hospital over the last seventeen years.
John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Thelma; their five sons and their wives, grandchildren, Jeffrey Jr., Jacqueline, Yanna, Travis, Sara, Orion, Brianna, Rachel, Brooke, Britt; step-grandchildren, Tom and Kim, and great-grandchildren, Logan, Kyle and Kennedy, also survive him, as well as other extended family members. He was predeceased by his grandson, Chip.
John displayed great courage throughout his life, while young and in combat, and in his late years, battling the ravages of Parkinson's disease. His legacy is one of bravery, fierce determination and perseverance, and love and loyalty towards God, his country and his family. He will be greatly missed and always remembered as the hero he was to all of us.
A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, at the Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home, Vacaville.
Source: Published in The Reporter on Jan. 17, 2006
Born March 3, 1923, in Murphysboro, Ill., he was the youngest of five brothers in the family of Roswell and Jenny Williams. In his youth, the family moved to Chicago, where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Thelma Harper.
After graduating high school, like so many in his generation, John joined the military to defend his country in the raging conflagration of World War II, a conflict which would later claim one of his brothers.
He became a B-25 pilot and completed 66 missions as a flight commander, stationed at Corsica. He was an outstanding pilot, three times bringing his crew home in aircraft so severely crippled they were scrapped immediately upon landing. Captain John Williams earned three Distinguished Flying Crosses, 11 Air Medals, seven Battle Stars and two Presidential Unit Citations for his courage and skill in leading attacks against such difficult and well-defended targets as the Brenner Pass in the Italian Alps. As a member of the 488th Bombardment Squadron, 350th Bombardment Group, he was a lifetime member of the 57th Bomb Wing Association.
John and Thelma married while he was in pilot training, and after the war they ended up moving to California where he would pursue a career in real estate, and where they would raise their five sons. He remained active in the Air Force Reserve, finally retiring in 1983 as a lieutenant colonel.
While he remained busy providing for his large family, he always found time to attend the innumerable sporting events that his five sons would enjoy. He also vigorously pursued one of his personal passions, golf, and proved to be a very talented player, garnering more trophies than all his sons combined.
John and Thelma moved to Vacaville in 1989 to be near Travis AFB and David Grant Hospital, where Thelma would work for 12 years in the chaplain's office and John worked as a volunteer at the information desk. They are most grateful for all of the skilled and compassionate care received at the hands of the many outstanding doctors and nurses at David Grant Hospital over the last seventeen years.
John is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Thelma; their five sons and their wives, grandchildren, Jeffrey Jr., Jacqueline, Yanna, Travis, Sara, Orion, Brianna, Rachel, Brooke, Britt; step-grandchildren, Tom and Kim, and great-grandchildren, Logan, Kyle and Kennedy, also survive him, as well as other extended family members. He was predeceased by his grandson, Chip.
John displayed great courage throughout his life, while young and in combat, and in his late years, battling the ravages of Parkinson's disease. His legacy is one of bravery, fierce determination and perseverance, and love and loyalty towards God, his country and his family. He will be greatly missed and always remembered as the hero he was to all of us.
A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, at the Vaca Hills Chapel Funeral Home, Vacaville.
Source: Published in The Reporter on Jan. 17, 2006
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