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In 1942, with the advent of [[World War II]], Williams enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] and served for a year as a [[radio]] operator on board the minesweeper ''USS Scout'', which escorted convoys across the North [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]]. For his work, he received the American Campaign Medal. Williams then served in the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and obtained the European-African-Mideast Campaign Medal. After victory in [[Europe]], he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands as part of the preparation for the invasion of [[Japan]], for which he received the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. After the war ended, Williams remained in the Navy Reserves. He attended the [[University of Kentucky]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]] under the G.I. Bill of Rights and graduated in 1950 with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in journalism. Williams was recalled to active duty and stationed in [[New Orleans]] for the duration of the [[Korean War]].<ref name=obit/>

In 1942, with the advent of [[World War II]], Williams enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] and served for a year as a [[radio]] operator on board the minesweeper ''USS Scout'', which escorted convoys across the North [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]]. For his work, he received the American Campaign Medal. Williams then served in the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and obtained the European-African-Mideast Campaign Medal. After victory in [[Europe]], he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands as part of the preparation for the invasion of [[Japan]], for which he received the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. After the war ended, Williams remained in the Navy Reserves. He attended the [[University of Kentucky]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]] under the G.I. Bill of Rights and graduated in 1950 with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in journalism. Williams was recalled to active duty and stationed in [[New Orleans]] for the duration of the [[Korean War]].<ref name=obit/>

Williams was president of the Central Louisiana Press Club from 1969 to 1970, and he received numerous awards, including a [[United Press International]] first place designation in 1976 for "Outstanding Personal Column". In 1977, he was a runner-up in competition for outstanding business column by the [[University of Missouri]] at [[Jefferson City]]. That same year, he placed first for specialized coverage by the Louisiana Press Association. In 1978, Williams was honored by two trade associations, the Louisiana Agricultural Chemical Association and the Plant Food Education Society, for his  "Outstanding Promotion of Agriculture" in ''The Town Talk''. In 1982, he won the annual press award from the Louisiana [[Farm Bureau|Farm Bureau Federation]]. In 1985-1986, he won first place for his personal column from UPI Newspapers in Louisiana.<ref name=obit>http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080504/OBITUARIES/80503013/1023</ref>

Williams was president of the Central Louisiana Press Club from 1969 to 1970, and he received numerous awards, including a [[United Press International]] first place designation in 1976 for "Outstanding Personal Column". In 1977, he was a runner-up in competition for outstanding business column by the [[University of Missouri]] at [[Jefferson City]]. That same year, he placed first for specialized coverage by the Louisiana Press Association. In 1978, Williams was honored by two trade associations, the Louisiana Agricultural Chemical Association and the Plant Food Education Society, for his  "Outstanding Promotion of Agriculture" in ''The Town Talk''. In 1982, he won the annual press award from the Louisiana [[Farm Bureau|Farm Bureau Federation]]. In 1985-1986, he won first place for his personal column from UPI Newspapers in Louisiana.<ref name=obit>Cecil Williams obituary, ''The Alexandria Town Talk'', May 4, 2008.</ref>

 

In 1951, Williams married the former Patricia "Pat" Conners (January 3, 1929 &ndash; December 30, 2007),<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi]</ref> originally from [[New Orleans]]. She was an employee in the Louisiana State Office Building in Alexandria. The Williamses moved to Alexandria when he joined ''The Town Talk''. They had four children: Frances W. Woodiel and her husband, Christopher Davis Woodiel, and Conners Williams and wife, Debbie, both couples from [[Baton Rouge]]; Sean Williams and wife, Vicki, of Vancouver, [[Washington]], and Maurice Williams of Alexandria, and five grandchildren. After his wife's death from [[cancer]], Williams moved to Baton Rouge, where he succumbed to complications of a hip fracture. The couple is interred at Greenoaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge.<ref name=br/>

In 1951, Williams married the former Patricia "Pat" Conners (January 3, 1929 &ndash; December 30, 2007),<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi]</ref> originally from [[New Orleans]]. She was an employee in the Louisiana State Office Building in Alexandria. The Williamses moved to Alexandria when he joined ''The Town Talk''. They had four children: Frances W. Woodiel and her husband, Christopher Davis Woodiel, and Conners Williams and wife, Debbie, both couples from [[Baton Rouge]]; Sean Williams and wife, Vicki, of Vancouver, [[Washington]], and Maurice Williams of Alexandria, and five grandchildren. After his wife's death from [[cancer]], Williams moved to Baton Rouge, where he succumbed to complications of a hip fracture. The couple is interred at Greenoaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge.<ref name=br/>