George Paul Williams

George Paul Williams, 84, of Creekside Dr., Morganton, NC died Tuesday, January 1, 2008, following a lengthy illness. He had been residing at Wilora Lake Healthcare in Charlotte, NC for the last several years. He was born in Boaz, Alabama to the late Clyde and Opal Hubbard Williams. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy. George was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Morganton and of the Huffman Sunday School class for many years. Mr. Williams served in the U. S. Army as a teletype operator during World War II, and he enjoyed attending the yearly reunions with the 260th Signal Service. Following his years of military service, he continued his education and graduated from Auburn University. He retired from Belk Department Store after 37 years of service. One of his greatest joys as a manager was working with young people, and he was awarded a life membership in the Distributive Education Clubs of America.Mr. Williams was an active member in his community serving as a board member of the Morganton Downtown Development Association, the Flynn Home, and was instrumental in the formation of the Friendly Tuesday Club for servitor citizens, arranging for them to meet at area churches twice a month for social and business meetings. As a member of the Morganton Lions Club, George was a past president and was awarded a lifetime membership. He was also recognized for his 50 plus years of service as a Shriner and a Mason.Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Wilma Williams, of the home; a son, Paul W. Williams and his wife, Margaret, and their children, Maggie and Katie; his daughters, Margaret W. Bahr, and her husband, Jonathan, and their daughter, Lauren, and Laura W. Lookadoo, all of Charlotte; step-daughters, Tracie Bennett and her husband, Andrew, and Kellie Transou, and her husband, Terry; his sister, Ann W. Little of Muscle Shoals, AL; and numerous nieces and nephews.The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 3, 2008, at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Bland, Jr. and Rev. Frederick Schuszler officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friend in the church parlor one hour before the service. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, PO Drawer 459, Morganton, NC 28680 or to Presbyterian Hospital Harris Hospice Unit, 200 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.