**************************************************
Billy Russell Williams.
Funeral services for Billy Russell Williams, 70, of Bremen will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, at Addington Chapel Methodist Church, the Rev. Wayne Williams officiating, with interment in the church cemetery. Viewing will begin at 9:30 a.m.
Mr. Williams died Monday, Aug. 2, at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. following a brief illness. He was born July 7, 1940, in Bremen to Floyd Jones and Zee Stricklin Williams. He was a lifelong resident of Cullman County. He was a graduate of Auburn University and taught math at West Point High School for nine years. He was a farmer and raised McCurdy Plantation horses for many years. He was a prominent, well loved member of the Sacred Harp singing community and had loved and practiced this age-old art for more than 50 years. He was an avid student of genealogy and Cullman County history.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, F.J. "Boots" and Zee Williams; and two brothers, Jerry Williams and Phillip Kemp Williams.
Survivors include a brother, Wayne (Marilyn) Williams of Bremen; a sister, Mary Jo (Stan) Mackin; and a host of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.
Hanceville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Source: "The Cullman Times" - August 3, 2010
**************************************************
MEMORIES OF BILLY WILLIAMS:
I don't know if people who didn't talk with Billy Williams can appreciate what we have lost in his sudden passing. As a source for knowledge of old-time singing in his corner of the Sacred Harp world -- who the figures were, what they were like, how things used to be -- he was unsurpassed. Billy was bursting with stories -- and, as he often laughingly expressed it, with exasperation and almost disbelief at the lack of interest he found in the young of his area, in the ordinary citizens of many communities around him who had let go something of extraordinary spirit and value. This is to me an inestimable and irrecoverable loss, and I join others who knew him in feeling bereft at hearing the news.
Buell Cobb
Birmingham, Alabama
**************************************************
We've lost another long-time singer. Billy Williams of Bremen, Alabama, passed away yesterday. Billy attended many Alabama and Georgia singings. We sang with him July 4th weekend at Liberty Church in Henagar. He was especially interested in preserving the history of local singings, and passed along to me a news article about the simpler life years ago, including singing from The Sacred Harp. A gentle, friendly man; he will be missed.
Martha Beverly
Kalamazoo, Michigan
**************************************************
There were at least 60 singers at Addington Chapel today singing at Billy's funeral. The songs were great and the service was very sweet. Billy will be missed at a lot of singings in Alabama. He was a nice fellow that always took time to talk with you and he loved "Old Harp" music. He liked it slow but tolerated those of us that like it a little faster. He was a good friend.
Richard Mauldin
Chelsea, Alabama
**************************************************
Billy had a vast knowledge of the people, history, and places associated with "Harp" music in the Cullman and Winston County areas, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. He enjoyed talking about the "old ways of singing" and how singers "sounded" 30/40/50 years ago. Billy was a primary supporter of the Cullman County Convention for about the past 20 years as well as several other smaller all day singings in the area. He had been the arranging committee for the Cullman County Convention for several years. Billy was a good friend and I will miss him, as will many others.
David Ivey
Huntsville, Alabama
**************************************************
I will miss him very much.
Brenda Pena
New York, New York
**************************************************
Little did I know that my conversation on Saturday, July 24 at the Cotaco SH Convention held at Gum Pond Primitive Baptist Church in Morgan County, Alabama would be the last one in this life I would have with Billy. He was eager to tell me about some old Primitive Baptist periodicals that he had recently obtained and how interesting they were to him. Over the years he had shared with me many stories about his area of Alabama and he never failed to mention what a travesty to the natural landscape the waters of Smith Lake now cover. He always asked me about the Green brothers, men we both knew who were cattlemen and owners of the Roanoke Stockyard.
There is one poem in particular that I will always think of Billy when I hear read or sung. "The Wanderer's Grave", page 139 in The Christian Harmony. It is credited to William L. Williams, from Chambers County, Alabama, my home county:
Away from home, away from friends, and all the heart holds dear,
A weary wand'rer laid him down, nor kindly aid was near,
And sickness preyed upon his frame, and told its tale of woe,
While sorrows marked his pallid cheek, and sank his spirit low,
Nor waiting friends stood near his couch, a healing to impart,
Nor human voice spoke sympathy to soothe his aching heart,
The stars of night his watchers were, his fan the wide wind's breath,
And while they sighed their hollow moans, he closed his eyes in death.
No willing grave received the corpse of this poor lonely one,
His bones alas were left to bleach, and moulder ‘neath the sun,
The wild wolf howled his requiem, the rude wind danced his dirge,
And e'er anon in mournful chime, sighed for the the mellow surge.
Don Clark
LaFayette, Alabama
**************************************************
Billy Russell Williams.
Funeral services for Billy Russell Williams, 70, of Bremen will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, at Addington Chapel Methodist Church, the Rev. Wayne Williams officiating, with interment in the church cemetery. Viewing will begin at 9:30 a.m.
Mr. Williams died Monday, Aug. 2, at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. following a brief illness. He was born July 7, 1940, in Bremen to Floyd Jones and Zee Stricklin Williams. He was a lifelong resident of Cullman County. He was a graduate of Auburn University and taught math at West Point High School for nine years. He was a farmer and raised McCurdy Plantation horses for many years. He was a prominent, well loved member of the Sacred Harp singing community and had loved and practiced this age-old art for more than 50 years. He was an avid student of genealogy and Cullman County history.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, F.J. "Boots" and Zee Williams; and two brothers, Jerry Williams and Phillip Kemp Williams.
Survivors include a brother, Wayne (Marilyn) Williams of Bremen; a sister, Mary Jo (Stan) Mackin; and a host of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.
Hanceville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Source: "The Cullman Times" - August 3, 2010
**************************************************
MEMORIES OF BILLY WILLIAMS:
I don't know if people who didn't talk with Billy Williams can appreciate what we have lost in his sudden passing. As a source for knowledge of old-time singing in his corner of the Sacred Harp world -- who the figures were, what they were like, how things used to be -- he was unsurpassed. Billy was bursting with stories -- and, as he often laughingly expressed it, with exasperation and almost disbelief at the lack of interest he found in the young of his area, in the ordinary citizens of many communities around him who had let go something of extraordinary spirit and value. This is to me an inestimable and irrecoverable loss, and I join others who knew him in feeling bereft at hearing the news.
Buell Cobb
Birmingham, Alabama
**************************************************
We've lost another long-time singer. Billy Williams of Bremen, Alabama, passed away yesterday. Billy attended many Alabama and Georgia singings. We sang with him July 4th weekend at Liberty Church in Henagar. He was especially interested in preserving the history of local singings, and passed along to me a news article about the simpler life years ago, including singing from The Sacred Harp. A gentle, friendly man; he will be missed.
Martha Beverly
Kalamazoo, Michigan
**************************************************
There were at least 60 singers at Addington Chapel today singing at Billy's funeral. The songs were great and the service was very sweet. Billy will be missed at a lot of singings in Alabama. He was a nice fellow that always took time to talk with you and he loved "Old Harp" music. He liked it slow but tolerated those of us that like it a little faster. He was a good friend.
Richard Mauldin
Chelsea, Alabama
**************************************************
Billy had a vast knowledge of the people, history, and places associated with "Harp" music in the Cullman and Winston County areas, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. He enjoyed talking about the "old ways of singing" and how singers "sounded" 30/40/50 years ago. Billy was a primary supporter of the Cullman County Convention for about the past 20 years as well as several other smaller all day singings in the area. He had been the arranging committee for the Cullman County Convention for several years. Billy was a good friend and I will miss him, as will many others.
David Ivey
Huntsville, Alabama
**************************************************
I will miss him very much.
Brenda Pena
New York, New York
**************************************************
Little did I know that my conversation on Saturday, July 24 at the Cotaco SH Convention held at Gum Pond Primitive Baptist Church in Morgan County, Alabama would be the last one in this life I would have with Billy. He was eager to tell me about some old Primitive Baptist periodicals that he had recently obtained and how interesting they were to him. Over the years he had shared with me many stories about his area of Alabama and he never failed to mention what a travesty to the natural landscape the waters of Smith Lake now cover. He always asked me about the Green brothers, men we both knew who were cattlemen and owners of the Roanoke Stockyard.
There is one poem in particular that I will always think of Billy when I hear read or sung. "The Wanderer's Grave", page 139 in The Christian Harmony. It is credited to William L. Williams, from Chambers County, Alabama, my home county:
Away from home, away from friends, and all the heart holds dear,
A weary wand'rer laid him down, nor kindly aid was near,
And sickness preyed upon his frame, and told its tale of woe,
While sorrows marked his pallid cheek, and sank his spirit low,
Nor waiting friends stood near his couch, a healing to impart,
Nor human voice spoke sympathy to soothe his aching heart,
The stars of night his watchers were, his fan the wide wind's breath,
And while they sighed their hollow moans, he closed his eyes in death.
No willing grave received the corpse of this poor lonely one,
His bones alas were left to bleach, and moulder ‘neath the sun,
The wild wolf howled his requiem, the rude wind danced his dirge,
And e'er anon in mournful chime, sighed for the the mellow surge.
Don Clark
LaFayette, Alabama
**************************************************
**************************************************
Billy Russell Williams.
Funeral services for Billy Russell Williams, 70, of Bremen will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, at Addington Chapel Methodist Church, the Rev. Wayne Williams officiating, with interment in the church cemetery. Viewing will begin at 9:30 a.m.
Mr. Williams died Monday, Aug. 2, at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. following a brief illness. He was born July 7, 1940, in Bremen to Floyd Jones and Zee Stricklin Williams. He was a lifelong resident of Cullman County. He was a graduate of Auburn University and taught math at West Point High School for nine years. He was a farmer and raised McCurdy Plantation horses for many years. He was a prominent, well loved member of the Sacred Harp singing community and had loved and practiced this age-old art for more than 50 years. He was an avid student of genealogy and Cullman County history.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, F.J. "Boots" and Zee Williams; and two brothers, Jerry Williams and Phillip Kemp Williams.
Survivors include a brother, Wayne (Marilyn) Williams of Bremen; a sister, Mary Jo (Stan) Mackin; and a host of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.
Hanceville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Source: "The Cullman Times" - August 3, 2010
**************************************************
MEMORIES OF BILLY WILLIAMS:
I don't know if people who didn't talk with Billy Williams can appreciate what we have lost in his sudden passing. As a source for knowledge of old-time singing in his corner of the Sacred Harp world -- who the figures were, what they were like, how things used to be -- he was unsurpassed. Billy was bursting with stories -- and, as he often laughingly expressed it, with exasperation and almost disbelief at the lack of interest he found in the young of his area, in the ordinary citizens of many communities around him who had let go something of extraordinary spirit and value. This is to me an inestimable and irrecoverable loss, and I join others who knew him in feeling bereft at hearing the news.
Buell Cobb
Birmingham, Alabama
**************************************************
We've lost another long-time singer. Billy Williams of Bremen, Alabama, passed away yesterday. Billy attended many Alabama and Georgia singings. We sang with him July 4th weekend at Liberty Church in Henagar. He was especially interested in preserving the history of local singings, and passed along to me a news article about the simpler life years ago, including singing from The Sacred Harp. A gentle, friendly man; he will be missed.
Martha Beverly
Kalamazoo, Michigan
**************************************************
There were at least 60 singers at Addington Chapel today singing at Billy's funeral. The songs were great and the service was very sweet. Billy will be missed at a lot of singings in Alabama. He was a nice fellow that always took time to talk with you and he loved "Old Harp" music. He liked it slow but tolerated those of us that like it a little faster. He was a good friend.
Richard Mauldin
Chelsea, Alabama
**************************************************
Billy had a vast knowledge of the people, history, and places associated with "Harp" music in the Cullman and Winston County areas, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. He enjoyed talking about the "old ways of singing" and how singers "sounded" 30/40/50 years ago. Billy was a primary supporter of the Cullman County Convention for about the past 20 years as well as several other smaller all day singings in the area. He had been the arranging committee for the Cullman County Convention for several years. Billy was a good friend and I will miss him, as will many others.
David Ivey
Huntsville, Alabama
**************************************************
I will miss him very much.
Brenda Pena
New York, New York
**************************************************
Little did I know that my conversation on Saturday, July 24 at the Cotaco SH Convention held at Gum Pond Primitive Baptist Church in Morgan County, Alabama would be the last one in this life I would have with Billy. He was eager to tell me about some old Primitive Baptist periodicals that he had recently obtained and how interesting they were to him. Over the years he had shared with me many stories about his area of Alabama and he never failed to mention what a travesty to the natural landscape the waters of Smith Lake now cover. He always asked me about the Green brothers, men we both knew who were cattlemen and owners of the Roanoke Stockyard.
There is one poem in particular that I will always think of Billy when I hear read or sung. "The Wanderer's Grave", page 139 in The Christian Harmony. It is credited to William L. Williams, from Chambers County, Alabama, my home county:
Away from home, away from friends, and all the heart holds dear,
A weary wand'rer laid him down, nor kindly aid was near,
And sickness preyed upon his frame, and told its tale of woe,
While sorrows marked his pallid cheek, and sank his spirit low,
Nor waiting friends stood near his couch, a healing to impart,
Nor human voice spoke sympathy to soothe his aching heart,
The stars of night his watchers were, his fan the wide wind's breath,
And while they sighed their hollow moans, he closed his eyes in death.
No willing grave received the corpse of this poor lonely one,
His bones alas were left to bleach, and moulder ‘neath the sun,
The wild wolf howled his requiem, the rude wind danced his dirge,
And e'er anon in mournful chime, sighed for the the mellow surge.
Don Clark
LaFayette, Alabama
**************************************************
Billy Russell Williams.
Funeral services for Billy Russell Williams, 70, of Bremen will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, at Addington Chapel Methodist Church, the Rev. Wayne Williams officiating, with interment in the church cemetery. Viewing will begin at 9:30 a.m.
Mr. Williams died Monday, Aug. 2, at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. following a brief illness. He was born July 7, 1940, in Bremen to Floyd Jones and Zee Stricklin Williams. He was a lifelong resident of Cullman County. He was a graduate of Auburn University and taught math at West Point High School for nine years. He was a farmer and raised McCurdy Plantation horses for many years. He was a prominent, well loved member of the Sacred Harp singing community and had loved and practiced this age-old art for more than 50 years. He was an avid student of genealogy and Cullman County history.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, F.J. "Boots" and Zee Williams; and two brothers, Jerry Williams and Phillip Kemp Williams.
Survivors include a brother, Wayne (Marilyn) Williams of Bremen; a sister, Mary Jo (Stan) Mackin; and a host of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the church.
Hanceville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Source: "The Cullman Times" - August 3, 2010
**************************************************
MEMORIES OF BILLY WILLIAMS:
I don't know if people who didn't talk with Billy Williams can appreciate what we have lost in his sudden passing. As a source for knowledge of old-time singing in his corner of the Sacred Harp world -- who the figures were, what they were like, how things used to be -- he was unsurpassed. Billy was bursting with stories -- and, as he often laughingly expressed it, with exasperation and almost disbelief at the lack of interest he found in the young of his area, in the ordinary citizens of many communities around him who had let go something of extraordinary spirit and value. This is to me an inestimable and irrecoverable loss, and I join others who knew him in feeling bereft at hearing the news.
Buell Cobb
Birmingham, Alabama
**************************************************
We've lost another long-time singer. Billy Williams of Bremen, Alabama, passed away yesterday. Billy attended many Alabama and Georgia singings. We sang with him July 4th weekend at Liberty Church in Henagar. He was especially interested in preserving the history of local singings, and passed along to me a news article about the simpler life years ago, including singing from The Sacred Harp. A gentle, friendly man; he will be missed.
Martha Beverly
Kalamazoo, Michigan
**************************************************
There were at least 60 singers at Addington Chapel today singing at Billy's funeral. The songs were great and the service was very sweet. Billy will be missed at a lot of singings in Alabama. He was a nice fellow that always took time to talk with you and he loved "Old Harp" music. He liked it slow but tolerated those of us that like it a little faster. He was a good friend.
Richard Mauldin
Chelsea, Alabama
**************************************************
Billy had a vast knowledge of the people, history, and places associated with "Harp" music in the Cullman and Winston County areas, and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge. He enjoyed talking about the "old ways of singing" and how singers "sounded" 30/40/50 years ago. Billy was a primary supporter of the Cullman County Convention for about the past 20 years as well as several other smaller all day singings in the area. He had been the arranging committee for the Cullman County Convention for several years. Billy was a good friend and I will miss him, as will many others.
David Ivey
Huntsville, Alabama
**************************************************
I will miss him very much.
Brenda Pena
New York, New York
**************************************************
Little did I know that my conversation on Saturday, July 24 at the Cotaco SH Convention held at Gum Pond Primitive Baptist Church in Morgan County, Alabama would be the last one in this life I would have with Billy. He was eager to tell me about some old Primitive Baptist periodicals that he had recently obtained and how interesting they were to him. Over the years he had shared with me many stories about his area of Alabama and he never failed to mention what a travesty to the natural landscape the waters of Smith Lake now cover. He always asked me about the Green brothers, men we both knew who were cattlemen and owners of the Roanoke Stockyard.
There is one poem in particular that I will always think of Billy when I hear read or sung. "The Wanderer's Grave", page 139 in The Christian Harmony. It is credited to William L. Williams, from Chambers County, Alabama, my home county:
Away from home, away from friends, and all the heart holds dear,
A weary wand'rer laid him down, nor kindly aid was near,
And sickness preyed upon his frame, and told its tale of woe,
While sorrows marked his pallid cheek, and sank his spirit low,
Nor waiting friends stood near his couch, a healing to impart,
Nor human voice spoke sympathy to soothe his aching heart,
The stars of night his watchers were, his fan the wide wind's breath,
And while they sighed their hollow moans, he closed his eyes in death.
No willing grave received the corpse of this poor lonely one,
His bones alas were left to bleach, and moulder ‘neath the sun,
The wild wolf howled his requiem, the rude wind danced his dirge,
And e'er anon in mournful chime, sighed for the the mellow surge.
Don Clark
LaFayette, Alabama
**************************************************
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