Obituaries -- Placed 6-23-2004

Thomas Earl Williams

Funeral services for Thomas Earl Williams, 79, of LaRue are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday in the chapel of Cooper Funeral Home of Athens with the Rev. Curtis Mathis and the Rev. John Brinley officiating. Interment with honors will be at Athens City Cemetery.

Thomas Earl was born Oct. 21, 1924, in Corsicana to William Archie and Mildred Gammill Williams.  
 
He attended Athens public schools and graduated from Athens High School in 1942. He served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force from 1943 until 1950. He attended Texas A&M University and earned his law degree from the Baylor School of Law and earned a juris doctorate degree from Baylor in 1954.

He was admitted to practice law in the northern, southern, eastern and western U.S. district courts. He served as a assistant district attorney in Collin County for two years, district attorney in Collin County for two years and with Henry Wade as an assistant district attorney in Dallas County. He served as the Athens city attorney for 30 years.

Thomas Earl was a commissioned police officer with the Athens Police Department since 1985 and held the rank of lieutenant. He was also a member of the Henderson County Peace Officer's Association. He was a member of Athens Masonic Lodge, No. 165, AF & AM, where he was a 50-year member and had served as past worshipful mater. He was also a 32nd degree knight commander court of honor Scottish Rite mason. He was a member of LaRue Baptist Church and has served as a trustee.

Thomas Earl Williams went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, June 22, 2004.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia Williams of LaRue; sons and daughters-in-law, Stephen Williams of Houston, Randy Williams of Arlington and Daniel and Janet Williams of Latexo; daughter, Cindy Williams of Phoenix, Ariz.; stepdaughter and husband, Tammy and Wayne Brown of Athens; stepson and wife, Stacy and Lisa Harris of Athens; grandchildren, Byron Williams of Latexo, Thomas Hayden Knight of Athens, Christian Harris of Athens, Jacob Knight of Athens and Paige Harris of Athens.

Pallbearers will include Bill Clark, Bill Hoppes, David Harris Jr., Stacy Harris, Wayne Brown and Lee Flowers.

Honorary pallbearers will be Don Copeland, Mark Collins, Dr. Ken Lemmon, Joe Young, Robert Strain, Dr. Buster Geddie and members of the Henderson County Peace Officers Association.

Funeral home visitation hours will be 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Genesis Hospice of Athens and the LaRue Baptist Church Building Fund.