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A heavy smoker, Williamson died of his third [[heart attack]]. Governor Perry eulogized his friend by quoting from the Irish satirist [[Jonathan Swift]]. Perry said that Williamson was the most persuasive individual that he had ever encountered. Williamson had urged Perry in 1998 to seek the lieutenant governorship to succeed the Democrat Bob Bullock. From this office, Perry succeeded to the governorship two years later in December 2000, when [[George W. Bush]] resigned in preparation for his presidential inauguration in 2001.​

A heavy smoker, Williamson died of his third [[heart attack]]. Governor Perry eulogized his friend by quoting from the Irish satirist [[Jonathan Swift]]. Perry said that Williamson was the most persuasive individual that he had ever encountered. Williamson had urged Perry in 1998 to seek the lieutenant governorship to succeed the Democrat Bob Bullock. From this office, Perry succeeded to the governorship two years later in December 2000, when [[George W. Bush]] resigned in preparation for his presidential inauguration in 2001.​

Williamson and his wife, Mary Ann M. Williamson (born 1956), had three daughters, Melissa Meyer and husband Randy of Weatherford,  Katherine Strange and husband Matthew of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and Sara Williamson, also of Houston, unmarried at the time of her father's death. He was survived by two grandchildren and his mother, Jane Gray and her husband, Gordon Gray, of Abilene. Williamson was [[cremation|cremated]]. Memorial services were held on January 3, 2008, in the Jerry Durant Auditorium of Weatherford High School.<ref name=obit/> Perry said that Williamson's "passion to serve his beloved State of Texas was unmatched, and his determination to help our state meet it future challenges was unparalleled. He will be missed beyond words."<ref name=mcurry/>​

Williamson and his wife, Mary Ann M. Williamson (born 1956), had three daughters, Melissa Meyer and husband Randy of Weatherford,  Katherine Strange and husband Matthew of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and Sara Williamson, also of Houston, unmarried at the time of her father's death. He was survived by two grandchildren and his mother, Jane Gray and her husband, Gordon Gray, of Abilene. Williamson was [[cremation|cremated]]. Memorial services were held on January 3, 2008, in the Jerry Durant Auditorium of Weatherford High School.<ref name=obit/> Perry said that Williamson's "passion to serve his beloved State of Texas was unmatched, and his determination to help our state meet it future challenges was unparalleled. He will be missed beyond words."<ref name=mcurry/>

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:Texas]]​

[[Category:Texas]]

[[Category:Business People]]​

[[Category:Business People]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:State Representatives]]

[[Category:State Representatives]]

[[Category:Former Democrats]]​

[[Category:Former Democrats]]

[[Category:Republicans]]​​

[[Category:Republicans]]