B.L. "Bill" Williamson, Jr. Benjamin Lee "Bill" Williamson, Jr., 92 of Columbus, MS passed away Saturday, February 1, 2014 at The Arrington, Columbus, MS. Visitation will be Monday, February 03, 2014 from 6-8 pm at Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS. Funeral services will be Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at 11 am at Woodland Baptist Church, Columbus, MS with Bro. Shelby Hazard officiating. Interment will be in Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, Columbus, MS with Lowndes Funeral Home directing. Mr. Williamson was born June 29, 1921 in Ruth, MS to the late Benjamin Lee and Louella Ethelyn Coon Williamson. While growing up as the tenth out of eleven children in his family in rural Lincoln County, MS. Mr. Williamson helped his parents work on the farm. He graduated from Ruth High School in Lincoln County, MS in 1940, where he played on the school basketball team and played the trumpet in the school band. Mr. Williamson also played the guitar in a local group, which included most of his brothers and played for various gatherings and on the radio. He and his brothers also performed a comedy Minstrel skit for various schools. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Army/ Air Corps in 1940 and began what was to be a long and successful military career. He began his training at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA and then was sent to Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM. Finally, he was sent to the Japanese Theater to serve during World War II. He specialized in Aerial Photography serving in combat zones and in the Korean War. During his career, he received many medals and five battle stars. He served overseas tours in Hawaii, Okinawa, Guam, and Japan and was later stationed in Fairfield, CA. Mr. Williamson retired as a Major at Columbus AFB in Columbus, MS. He met his first wife Peggy Jean Webb while he was stationed in Albuquerque, NM and married on September 12, 1942 in Santa Fe, NM. When he was sent to serve in Hawaii, Peggy and their young son Jim, who was born December 4, 1944, stayed with Peggy's aunt in Texas. Their second son, Bob was born November 27, 1946. When Mr. Williamson served his tours of duty in Okinawa, Guam and Japan, Peggy and the boys were allowed to travel and lived with him so the family could remain together. He obtained his college degree while attending night classes and after retiring from active service and began his second career, Manager of the Columbus Air Force Base Credit Union which he held for 25 ½ years. During this time, he served as an officer of the MS Credit Union Board of Directors, 2 years as the Vice-President and 2 years as President. Mr. Williamson was always a civic minded person and became a member of the Lion's Club in Columbus where he served as Treasurer for 27 years. He served on the Executive Committee of the Lowndes County Republican Party for over 30 years, 12 years as chairman. Mr. Williamson was also on the State Executive Committee for 12 years. In 1980, he served as Chairman of Ronald Reagan's Lowndes County Political Campaign, attended the Republican National Convention in Detroit, MI, then attended Ronald Reagan's Inauguration in Washington D.C. In 1984, he also attended the Republican National Convention in Dallas, TX. He and Peggy were very active members of the Baptist faith and were co-founders of four churches including two in Fairfield, CA (Calvary Baptist and Bible Baptist) and two in MS (Steens Baptist, Steens, MS in 1970 and Woodland Baptist, Columbus, MS in 1977). Mr. Williamson was an active member of Woodland Baptist, where he served many years as an active Deacon and Teacher of the Adult Men's Sunday School Class which he taught for 40 years. His first wife Peggy, died soon after his retirement when they were living at his present home in Columbus, MS. He then married Peggy's sister, Betty Jo Webb Hendrix. He and Betty continued to reside in Columbus, MS for some 30 years of their 31 years of marriage until her death on September 4, 2010. In addition to their shared religious and political interests, they were both avid Ole Miss fans. Mr. Williamson's wit and warm, fun-loving personality, intelligence, leadership skills and religious convictions were obvious to all who met him and were an inspiration to the younger family members and all who knew him. He will be missed. In addition to his parents, first wife, and second wife, Mr. Williamson is preceded in death by five sisters, Maudie Williamson Price, Gladys Williamson Pomes, Essie Williamson Stinson, Bennie Mae Williamson Brodie and Myrtis Williamson Walker Smith; four brothers, Wilfred Craft Williamson, Herman Richard "Dot" Williamson, Robert Edward Lee Williamson and Jack Dempsey Williamson. Mr. Williamson is survived by son- Robert Lynn Williamson; step-daughters- Diana Hendrix Blosser Bian and Kathleen Hendrix Campbell; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; sister- Mary Josephine "Mickey" May; 8 nephews and 8 nieces. Pallbearers will be Toby Hodges, Chuck Thompson, C.W. Walter, Jim Williamson, Michael Williamson, and Jon Williamson. Honorary Pallbearers will be Johnny Bishop, Robert "Bunky" Williams, Curtis Foster, Lenn Weeks, Lynn Dawkins, Robert Turnipseed, James Wilson, Bill Brauer, Don Sabley, and Tim Chaltry. Memorials may be made to the Williamson Family Foundation 1290 NW Honey Lake Road, Greenville, FL 32331.