In Memory Of
William Joseph Williamson
1925
2014
William Joseph Williamson
June 4, 1925 — August 2, 2014
William Joseph "Bill" Williamson, 89, died peacefully at home August 2, 2014. He was born June 4, 1925 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Albert and Helen Minchener Williamson.
A "Buckhead Boy," Bill grew up in Atlanta where he graduated from East Rivers High School. He attended Georgia Tech University and the University of California at Los Angeles. During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he achieved the rank of 1st Lt. and trained to be a navigator on the B-24 Liberator. His first introduction to Topeka and Kansas was when he was stationed at the Topeka Army Airfield (Forbes). He later served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.
A cotton broker for Anderson, Clayton and Company (ACCO), he worked in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Scottsdale, Az. He returned to Topeka to marry "the love of his life," Rosemary Harding Waddell on Nov. 15, 1985. Together they became familiar faces at community and social events. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Cathedral and Topeka Country Club, and a supporter of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka Symphony Orchestra, Let's Help, Helping Hands Humane Society, Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University Foundation, Topeka Community Foundation, ArtsConnect, Friends of KTWU, Southern Poverty Law Center, League of Women Voters and the Shawnee County Historical Society. He enjoyed golf, reading, college football, movies, travel, the stock market and Peanuts by Charles Schulz. He and Rosemary visited Venice, Rome, London,Hawaii, Paris, New York City, Florida, California, Bermuda and the Bahamas; sailed on the QEII, flew on the Concorde, and saw Frank Sinatra. He was the epitome of a Southern Gentleman, hated cold weather and was passionate about Georgia Tech football.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Bobby. He is survived by his beloved Rosemary and stepdaughters Carol McDowell (John Bottenberg), Margaret Carkhuff (Tim), both of Topeka, and Mary Apt (Chuck), Iola; grandchildren Sarah Carkhuff Fizell (Jason), Emily Carkhuff, Maggie Apt Dickerson (Kerry), Capt. Tyner Apt Morales, USAF (Myles), Charles H. Apt IV, Jeff Bottenberg and Jenni Brown (Chris); and great-grandchildren Tyler Stock, Alec Stock, Joshua Stock, Mark Dickerson, Astra Fizell, Rory Bottenberg, Geneva Fizell and Luke Dickerson; and second cousins, Sanford, Drew, Ernest and Helen Matthews, all of Atlanta, Ga.
Funeral services with military honors will be 10 a.m. Saturday, August 9, 2014, at Grace Episcopal Cathedral. Inurnment will be on a future date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Grace Episcopal Cathedral,701 SW 8th St., Topeka 66603; Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104; or the Rosemary Harding Williamson and Family Scholarship Fund, Washburn University Foundation, 1729 SW MacVicar, Topeka 66604.
To leave a special message for Bill's family, please visit the guestbook below.
A "Buckhead Boy," Bill grew up in Atlanta where he graduated from East Rivers High School. He attended Georgia Tech University and the University of California at Los Angeles. During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps where he achieved the rank of 1st Lt. and trained to be a navigator on the B-24 Liberator. His first introduction to Topeka and Kansas was when he was stationed at the Topeka Army Airfield (Forbes). He later served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.
A cotton broker for Anderson, Clayton and Company (ACCO), he worked in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Scottsdale, Az. He returned to Topeka to marry "the love of his life," Rosemary Harding Waddell on Nov. 15, 1985. Together they became familiar faces at community and social events. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Cathedral and Topeka Country Club, and a supporter of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka Symphony Orchestra, Let's Help, Helping Hands Humane Society, Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University Foundation, Topeka Community Foundation, ArtsConnect, Friends of KTWU, Southern Poverty Law Center, League of Women Voters and the Shawnee County Historical Society. He enjoyed golf, reading, college football, movies, travel, the stock market and Peanuts by Charles Schulz. He and Rosemary visited Venice, Rome, London,Hawaii, Paris, New York City, Florida, California, Bermuda and the Bahamas; sailed on the QEII, flew on the Concorde, and saw Frank Sinatra. He was the epitome of a Southern Gentleman, hated cold weather and was passionate about Georgia Tech football.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Bobby. He is survived by his beloved Rosemary and stepdaughters Carol McDowell (John Bottenberg), Margaret Carkhuff (Tim), both of Topeka, and Mary Apt (Chuck), Iola; grandchildren Sarah Carkhuff Fizell (Jason), Emily Carkhuff, Maggie Apt Dickerson (Kerry), Capt. Tyner Apt Morales, USAF (Myles), Charles H. Apt IV, Jeff Bottenberg and Jenni Brown (Chris); and great-grandchildren Tyler Stock, Alec Stock, Joshua Stock, Mark Dickerson, Astra Fizell, Rory Bottenberg, Geneva Fizell and Luke Dickerson; and second cousins, Sanford, Drew, Ernest and Helen Matthews, all of Atlanta, Ga.
Funeral services with military honors will be 10 a.m. Saturday, August 9, 2014, at Grace Episcopal Cathedral. Inurnment will be on a future date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Grace Episcopal Cathedral,701 SW 8th St., Topeka 66603; Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104; or the Rosemary Harding Williamson and Family Scholarship Fund, Washburn University Foundation, 1729 SW MacVicar, Topeka 66604.
To leave a special message for Bill's family, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Joseph Williamson, please visit our flower store.
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