William B. Williford III

1938 - 2017

William B. Williford, III

Palm Springs, CA

William Brown (Will) Williford passed away in Palm Springs, CA on Monday, October 9, 2017 following a massive stroke the day before. He was 79, having grown up in Jackson, MS, a member of the first class of St. Andrews Episcopal Day School. He was a graduate of the first class of Murrah High School, where he was active in choral and drama activates, having had a lead part in the musical, Oklahoma. He attended Ole Miss and was a member of social fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, graduating in 1961 with a degree in engineering and an MBA.

He served in the US Navy following college as an officer in the procurement field at the Submarine Base in Portsmouth, NH. He then was employed by Ingall Ship Building in Pascagoula, MS dealing with their submarine repair program. He later joined a small ship building company in San Diego, CA as a department manager for planning and control. He relocated in 1981 to Sacramento, CA where he was employed long term at South Pacific Railroad as a manager in locomotive works. Upon retirement, he became a docent at the California State Railroad Museum where he narrated trips on board the Amtrak Zephen about the building of the first transcontinental railroad from Sacramento to Reno, NV. He also enjoyed touring the US by car and participated in numerous extensive ship board cruises.

Will moved to Palm Springs in 2004 where he enjoyed the desert and worked as a docent at the Living Desert Museum at the miniature railroad exhibit.

Will was preceded in death by his parents, Winifred H. "Sisterbaby" Williford and H.S. "Coot" Williford (Jackson, MS) along with his brother, H. Shannon Williford, Jr. of Madison, MS. He is survived by his brother, Ed H. Williford (Sallie) of Brookhaven, MS, his sister-in-law, Joyce W. Williford of Jackson, along with numerous nieces, nephews and their children and grandchildren. Will was everyone's favorite.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, November 3, 2017 at the Lakewood Funeral Home Chapel on Clinton Blvd. with burial following. Visitation will start at 1:00 PM before the funeral.

Memorial contributions may be made to French Camp Academy, One Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745 or to a charity of your choice.

Please visit lakewoodfu neralhomes.com for online guestbook.