Major Joe Neil McWilliams was born in Jasper, Texas, as the only child of Earl and Daisy McWilliams on Oct. 21, 1937.
As a young man he served on two tours of duty in the Navy aboard Pacific vessels. After leaving the service he met and was married to Barbara Irwin. Settling in Texas they had a son Thomas and soon after relocating to Florida their son Kurt was born. Returning to Texas Joe worked for many years for Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company in both Texas and then Louisiana. In the late 1970’s, following a call of God on his life, and leaving what was considered a career job, Joe became a Salvation Army Officer. As Officer Majors, Joe and Barbara McWilliams were stationed in Huntsville, AL where they served as assistant Corps Officers while they pursued their true calling from God to become missionaries. As missionaries serving for 10 years they worked as administrators of the Men’s ARC, “Beth Rogelim,” in Cape Town, South Africa as well as serving as Corps Officers in Woodstock, South Africa, and at a retirement Home for Women in Stellenbosh, South Africa. During their overseas service Joe was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Signal Hill Rotary Club of Capetown where he served with distinction. In 1990 Joe and Barbara returned to the U.S. from the mission field and were stationed as Corps Officers in Key West, Fla., where they adopted their daughter Madelyn. Their second Corps appointment was in Port Charlotte, Fla., where they retired from active service to Brownwood, Texas, in 2002.
Major Joe McWilliams is survived by his wife of 47 years, Major Barbara McWilliams; three children, Dr. Kurt McWilliams, Mrs. Madelyn Martinez Gurney, and Major Thomas McWilliams; and one grand-daughter Brittany.
His life exemplified the same courage shown by William Booth the founder of the Army by his devotion to following the leading of our Sovereign Lord and Savior’s will with unwavering integrity no matter the obstacles which might lie in his path.
Funeral services for Major Joe McWilliams will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 28, 2011, in Blaylock Funeral Home Chapel with Major Glen Proctor officiating. Interment be at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 29, 2011, in Restland Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. There will be a visitation with the family before the at 3 p.m. at the funeral home.
Services have been entrusted to Blaylock Funeral Home.
