Henry "Hank" Williams

Henry "Hank" Williams November 7, 1923- March 23, 2005 COLUMBUS, GA— Henry "Hank" Williams, 81, of 910 Booker Ave., Columbus, gave up this life for his crown on Tuesday, March 23, at his home. A celebration of his life will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert L. Dickerson officiating and the Rev. J.C. Harris presiding. Interment will follow in Ft. Mitchell National Cemetery, Ft. Mitchell, Ala. Visitation will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Hill-Watson Memorial Chapel. Hank Williams was born on Nov. 7, 1923 in Kinloch, Missouri. He moved to Columbus in 1947 and married his soul mate, the former Nellie Stevens, on June 28, 1949. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1963, serving in both WWII and the Korean Conflict. He started his own general contracting business in the mid 1950's, Hanknell Construction, and his work is evident throughout Columbus. Hank Williams was a member of the Modern Free and Accepted Masons of the World, Inc., and served as Supreme Grand Master from 1971-1995. Survivors include his wife, Nellie; two sisters, Malvia Stinson of St. Louis, Missouri, and Mary Pinn of Springfield, Ill.; a brother, Chancey Williams of Dallas, Texas; a son, Soammes Williams (Gloria) of Ft. Washington, Md.; a daughter, Dorine Harris of San Diego, Calif.; a grandson, Leslie Harris of San Diego; four granddaughters, Sonia Murphy (Vernon) of Upper Marlboro, Md., Lavirdia Robinson (James) of Phoenix, Ariz., and Martha Caldwell of Columbus; one brother-in-law, Joseph Stevens (Christine) of San Diego; four sisters-in-law, Laura Dell Randolph (Henry) of San Diego, Edith Williams of Columbus, Ohio, Mary Brown of Chicago, and Rosetta Coleman (James) of Decatur, Ga.; two dear friends, Tommie Waters of Columbus and Willie Greene of Detroit, Mich.; three great grandchildren; eight great-great grandchildren; and a HOST of family and friends.