Oliver Alfred Williams, Jr.

New Iberia - A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am, on Friday, July 17, 2020, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in New Iberia, for Oliver A. Williams Jr., 93. Entombment will follow in the Nativity of Our Lady Cemetery. Rev. Keith Landry will be the Celebrant. A gathering of family and friends will be Friday from 8:00 am until 10:30 am at Pellerin Funeral Home. A rosary, led by the Catholic Daughters, will be prayed at 9:30 am on Friday. Due to Covid-19, the Williams family requests that family and friends wear face masks and practice social distancing while attending the visitation and funeral service. Oliver departed this life peacefully at his residence at Azalea Estates Assisted Living in New Iberia, Louisiana on July 14. Ollie was born on October 2, 1926 to Louise and Oliver Williams in New Orleans. Ollie’s growing up years were rich in family with two older sisters, Louise, Althea and her husband John and two nieces Fran and Little Althea. His high school years at Samuel J. Peters High School were active as a trombone player in the band as well as after school jobs including working at the drive-in movie theatre, a night watchman on a pleasure yacht, and selling magazines. He always industrious and shared his earnings with his family. He enrolled at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI) in the Navy V-5 flight program and later served as a Yeoman in the Pacific during World War II on board the USS HUTCHINS (DD-476) from 1944-45. While at SLI in Lafayette he met Margaret Durio, his dream girl. They married after WWII ended in 1946 and spent 66 happy years together. While in New Orleans, Ollie worked for the Internal Revenue Service. Margaret’s father, Fred Durio, encouraged him to go to work for Gulf Oil Co. What began as a roustabout job in the oilfield, became 35 year career as a purchasing manager. His ability to excel in his work took he and his family to Gretna, Louisiana; Laurel, Jackson, and Columbia, Mississippi; Lafayette, Louisiana; Houston, Texas and finally to New Iberia, Louisiana where he retired. His last years were spent in Cabinda, Angola in Africa as a purchasing agent for Chevron. After retirement he worked for McCall’s Boats out of Cameron for a few years. In addition to his work, he enjoyed fishing, hunting and golf. His nickname was “Hawkeye” because of his rifle marksmanship, wing shooting talent and accuracy with a sling shot. He was active in Boy Scouts and his church. He and Margaret traveled the world with ventures to Europe, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. Both volunteered at Dauterive Hospital in New Iberia for over 10 years. Ollie has been a resident of Azalea Estates Assisted Living since 2017. He is survived by his daughter, Paula W. (Jim Foret, Jr.) Foret of St. Martinville; son, Michael O. (Nancy Webb Williams) Williams of Zachary, grandchildren, Rachel (Chuck) Tauzin of Cecilia, Jacob (Randina) Foret of Burke, VA, Amy (Matt) Tabor of Geismer, and Joe (Kim) Foret of New Iberia; great grandchildren, Victoria Tauzin, Ben Tauzin, Maggie Tauzin, Madeline Foret, Jameson Foret, Anna Foret, Emma Tabor, Matthew Tabor, Mya Foret, Tiffany England, and Alli England; great great grandchild, Jordan England; and nieces who was like little sisters, Althea Mayer and Fran Bussie. He is preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Durio Williams; parents, Oliver A. Williams, Sr. and Louise James Williams; and sisters, Althea Williams Martinez and Louise Williams Lambert. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Foret, Jr., Jacob Foret, Joe Foret, Mike Williams, Chuck Tauzin, Ben Tauzin, and Matthew Tabor. The family would like to give special thanks to the wonderful staff of Azalea Estates, Acadian Hospice and the caring nursing staff. Mr. Ollie was especially grateful to his caregivers, Ebony Berry, Jane Armstead, Mona Abraham, and Kim Foret. Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560, (337-365-3331) is in charge of arrangements.