Growing up at Shaw's Crossroads in Sumter Co., S. C., William was born in Ridgeway while his mother was visiting some of her family. After a long illness, his mother died when he was 7 years old. Black neighbor, "Aunt" Sallie White, was vital motherly help to him & his older brother & younger sibling's. A year after his mother died, his father married Bertha Griffin.
Links to many other family photos are on his brother's memorial, HERE.
My "Uncle Will" graduated Sumter High School in the class of 1931...https://www.edmundshigh.com/alumni.html?x=info&c=31. While being a student at N. C. State for a year, he lived with Aunt Berta & Uncle Leon Williams. In 1935, he married Thelma "Teddy" Jenkins; and their first home was on Saratoga Street in Sumter, S. C. and then their life-long home, thereafter, at 101 Mood Ave.
WWII: William, as with his brother, was military draft status 4F deferred due to flat feet. Because he had a very young daughter who needed her mother at home during the war, William did not do as his older brother did and get into WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He did not serve in the military but was a patriot at home!
He worked with the Boyle family at the feed store and cotton gin. Then he was an associate with the Stan Brading Real Estate Agency. He was a member of Golden K Kiwanis Club. The family lived in Sumter on the northeast corner of Mood Ave. and Hasel Street.
William & "Teddy" had one child, Lucia Madge Shaw Gillette ("Marty") who lives in Bartow, Fla. Referred to as William, I remember "Uncle Will" as a smiling, very good-natured uncle. His obituary was in the 13 Nov. 1981 issue of The State newspaper.
Links to many other family photos are on his brother's memorial, HERE.
My "Uncle Will" graduated Sumter High School in the class of 1931...https://www.edmundshigh.com/alumni.html?x=info&c=31. While being a student at N. C. State for a year, he lived with Aunt Berta & Uncle Leon Williams. In 1935, he married Thelma "Teddy" Jenkins; and their first home was on Saratoga Street in Sumter, S. C. and then their life-long home, thereafter, at 101 Mood Ave.
WWII: William, as with his brother, was military draft status 4F deferred due to flat feet. Because he had a very young daughter who needed her mother at home during the war, William did not do as his older brother did and get into WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He did not serve in the military but was a patriot at home!
He worked with the Boyle family at the feed store and cotton gin. Then he was an associate with the Stan Brading Real Estate Agency. He was a member of Golden K Kiwanis Club. The family lived in Sumter on the northeast corner of Mood Ave. and Hasel Street.
William & "Teddy" had one child, Lucia Madge Shaw Gillette ("Marty") who lives in Bartow, Fla. Referred to as William, I remember "Uncle Will" as a smiling, very good-natured uncle. His obituary was in the 13 Nov. 1981 issue of The State newspaper.
Growing up at Shaw's Crossroads in Sumter Co., S. C., William was born in Ridgeway while his mother was visiting some of her family. After a long illness, his mother died when he was 7 years old. Black neighbor, "Aunt" Sallie White, was vital motherly help to him & his older brother & younger sibling's. A year after his mother died, his father married Bertha Griffin.
Links to many other family photos are on his brother's memorial, HERE.
My "Uncle Will" graduated Sumter High School in the class of 1931...https://www.edmundshigh.com/alumni.html?x=info&c=31. While being a student at N. C. State for a year, he lived with Aunt Berta & Uncle Leon Williams. In 1935, he married Thelma "Teddy" Jenkins; and their first home was on Saratoga Street in Sumter, S. C. and then their life-long home, thereafter, at 101 Mood Ave.
WWII: William, as with his brother, was military draft status 4F deferred due to flat feet. Because he had a very young daughter who needed her mother at home during the war, William did not do as his older brother did and get into WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He did not serve in the military but was a patriot at home!
He worked with the Boyle family at the feed store and cotton gin. Then he was an associate with the Stan Brading Real Estate Agency. He was a member of Golden K Kiwanis Club. The family lived in Sumter on the northeast corner of Mood Ave. and Hasel Street.
William & "Teddy" had one child, Lucia Madge Shaw Gillette ("Marty") who lives in Bartow, Fla. Referred to as William, I remember "Uncle Will" as a smiling, very good-natured uncle. His obituary was in the 13 Nov. 1981 issue of The State newspaper.
Links to many other family photos are on his brother's memorial, HERE.
My "Uncle Will" graduated Sumter High School in the class of 1931...https://www.edmundshigh.com/alumni.html?x=info&c=31. While being a student at N. C. State for a year, he lived with Aunt Berta & Uncle Leon Williams. In 1935, he married Thelma "Teddy" Jenkins; and their first home was on Saratoga Street in Sumter, S. C. and then their life-long home, thereafter, at 101 Mood Ave.
WWII: William, as with his brother, was military draft status 4F deferred due to flat feet. Because he had a very young daughter who needed her mother at home during the war, William did not do as his older brother did and get into WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He did not serve in the military but was a patriot at home!
He worked with the Boyle family at the feed store and cotton gin. Then he was an associate with the Stan Brading Real Estate Agency. He was a member of Golden K Kiwanis Club. The family lived in Sumter on the northeast corner of Mood Ave. and Hasel Street.
William & "Teddy" had one child, Lucia Madge Shaw Gillette ("Marty") who lives in Bartow, Fla. Referred to as William, I remember "Uncle Will" as a smiling, very good-natured uncle. His obituary was in the 13 Nov. 1981 issue of The State newspaper.
