Rockwall Co., TX - Obituary: Horace Lee Williams ********************************************************** This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Bunny Freeman Copyright © 2004 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************** Obituary of NAME: Horace Lee Williams AGE: 86 ADDRESS: Rockwall, TX DIED: Jan. 26, 2004 PLACE: Rockwall, TX BIRTH: Aug. 29, 1917 BIRTH PLACE: Rockwall, TX PARENTS: Ernest and Gladys Floyd Williams SPOUSE: Mary Jean Anderson MARRIAGE: March 8, 1947 PLACE: Rockwall, TX OCCUPATION: Williams Concrete Company EDUCATION: Rockwall High School, and attended the University of Oklahoma VETERAN: commissioned a lieutenant in the Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II, and served as a navigator on B-24s in the 98th Bomb Group, 415th Squadron SURVIVORS: wife Mary Jean; son, Horace Lee Williams, Jr.; a brother, Dr. Bob Williams and wife Beverly; sister, Mary Zona Burns and husband Sam.; brother- in-law, Dr. William L. Anderson and wife Mary Lou; nieces, Julie Willhite and husband Curtis, Dr. Andra Anderson, Mary Sue Smith and husband Robert Smith III; and nephews, Jim Williams and wife Sherry, Dr. William Chilton Anderson, Dr. William Clifton Anderson. Also surviving are two uncles, Clyde "Bounce" Williams and Richard Williams, both of Rockwall, and a host of cousins and friends. SERVICES: 2:00 pm, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004 First Baptist Church, M.L. Jones Chapel OFFICIATING: Rev. Steve Swofford and Dr. Dowell Loftis COMMENTS: On Feb., 1944, his plane, the "Black Magic", flying out of North Africa, was shot down over Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). Horace Lee and the remaining crew of 11 successfully bailed out of the plane, and later all were captured by the Germans and sent to various German prison camps. Horace Lee was held as a prisoner of war in Barth, Germany, until liberated by the Russians in May of 1945. Following liberation, he was airlifted by the United States Air Force to U.S. held territory. Horace Lee continued to serve the Air Force after the war as a weather reconnaissance flyer. SOURCE: Rockwall County News