[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 151 (Thursday, September 19, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO BERNARD WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 19, 2019

  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
pay tribute to the life and legacy of a fellow Texan, former staffer, 
and my friend, Bernard Williams, Jr.
  Mr. Williams was born on January 28, 1928, in Dallas, Texas, as an 
only child to Bernard Williams, Sr. and Nellie Mae Mayes. He graduated 
from Booker T. Washington High School in 1945, after which he attended 
West Virginia State College in Institute, West Virginia, where he 
earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. There, Mr. Williams met the 
love of his life, Marguerite Reddick. They married in Savannah, 
Georgia, in 1952 and had two children, Martha Nell and Susan Kay.
  Mr. Williams answered his country's call to service, serving as a 
Lieutenant in the United States Army following his college graduation. 
At the conclusion of his military service, Mr. Williams was hired as 
one of the first African American lab technicians in the 
cardiopulmonary lab at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, now known 
as the UT Southwestern Medical Center. He would later take a position 
with the IBM Corporation in Dallas as one of the first African American 
systems engineers. Following a brief retirement, Mr. Williams joined my 
Dallas district office, where he served the constituents of the 30th 
district of Texas for seven years.
  Mr. Williams generously gave his free time to our community--working 
with multiple organizations such as the Dallas Alumni Chapter of Kappa 
Alpha Psi, Inc., Big Brothers Inc., the Moorland Branch YMCA, and the 
Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce. He also served as a board member on 
the DART Citizens Advisory Committee and Senior Source.
  Mr. Williams was a faithful and active member of the New Hope Baptist 
Church for over half a century. During his time with the church, he 
served as Chairman of the Deacon Board for 17 years before being named 
Deacon Emeritus. Mr. Williams was widely regarded as a mentor for the 
youth in the church and was a strong supporter of religious education 
programs like vacation bible school.
  Mr. Williams was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard Williams, 
Sr. and Nellie Mae Mayes. He is survived by his wife, Marguerite 
Williams (nee Reddick); daughters, Martha Bedford (Louis III) and Susan 
Williams McElroy; granddaughters, Erica Chiles and father Don Chiles, 
Opal McElroy and father Daniel McElroy; sister-in-law, Charlesetta 
Reddick Lacy; brother-in-law, Thomas Reddick (Margaret); and many 
loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Mr. 
Williams' family, friends, and to those he influenced over the course 
of his life. The Dallas community will dearly miss him.

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