Not long ago, Rube Williamson sat down with Susie James, a freelance reporter for the Commonwealth, to talk about his days in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
The 86-year-old former bridge foreman for Carroll County took a folded one-peso bill from the Philippines out of his wallet. It was a souvenir from his service as a private in the U.S. Army.
Mr. Williamson died Saturday of heart failure at Greenwood Leflore Hospital. The funeral service is 2 p.m. Tuesday at Williams & Lord Chapel. Visitation is 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.
He was a country boy from around Charleston. His father, Johnny Williamson, and his younger sister, Alma, died early.
Mr. Williamson's mother married Lonnie Bowers of Carroll County. As a young man, he said, he spent many days in Tallahatchie County with relatives, trying to earn some extra money by seining for fish that remained after high flood waters. They'd sell the fish for bait.
Later, as a young man, he landed on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands in the artillery. He was wounded during an attack and received the Purple Heart for his service.
After returning from the war, he farmed and worked for Carroll County.
Carroll County District 2 Supervisor "Honey" Ashmore said Mr. Williamson served as road foreman when the late Percy Corder was supervisor in District 2 in the 1960s until 1976 when Ashmore took office for his first term.
In 1977, the country persuaded Mr. Williamson to take the job on the bridge crew.
"He was a good fellow," Ashmore said.
