US Army Air Corps PFC Tony Williams Jr. was born in Florida on January 3, 1923, the son of Tony Williams Sr. (1891-1971) and Emeline Smiley (1903-1943). Emeline was the daughter of Green Smiley (1879-1931) and Amanda "Mandy Manda" Crowder (1882-1951) who had married in 1900. In 1919, Emeline was working as a nurse while still living at 2414 San Carlos Street with her parents. After she and Tony Sr. were married, they were living at 812 North 9th Avenue by 1930 while his father supported his family as a laborer in the L&N Railroad machine shop. By 1940, they had purchased a house at 1410 North Hayne Street valued at $1,000 with his father's job was the same.
As for her son Tony Jr., he would graduate from Washington High School in 1941 and would marry Miriam Louise Johnson (1935-2001) the following year in 1942. Originally from Ohio, she was the daughter of Reuben C. Johnson who was a waiter at the San Carlos Hotel. Following their marriage, Tony was shipped out and was assigned to the 367th Aviation Squadron in El Paso, Texas. However, on August 29, 1943, he began to suffer from what at first appeared to be the flu. This was followed by a fever, cough, chills, and chest pain. Then things got worse, and he was admitted to the William Beaumont General Hospital where he was under the treatment of Dr. J. M. Gibbons, Captain in the US Army. He was finally diagnosed with "Granulonma Coccidioidal" a disease that few doctors had heard of in 1943. This acute phase was followed by its spread through his body where death would occur in more than 50% of white patients and close to 100% of dark-skinned patients. The causative agent was the fungus "Coccidioides immitis", common to the soil of certain arid regions similar to El Paso and from rodents. In the meantime, things deteriorated to the point that Tony passed away at 1:00 AM on September 14, 1943.
His wife Miriam and parents were notified of his passing and his remains were shipped home to Pensacola and buried with military honors in St. Michaels Cemetery. There is no record of Miriam ever remarrying before passing away in 2001. Afterwards, she was buried beside Tony where they rest in peace today.
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