Sad Day for the Lone Star Boat Racing Association

[shenders]

Louis Williams was just one really nice guy. A real gentleman and will missed by all who knew him. May the good Lord be with him and the family.
Stan

[Tim Chance]

Yes, Louis was well, Louis. And I am proud to been one of his many friends.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

The funeral came up so quickly I had to scramble to make it, but I'm glad I did. I had dawdled on dropping my suit off at the cleaner's after Marshall Grant's funeral so I did that first thing Tuesday morning. When Joe called a couple of hours later, I rushed back to get it, and luckily they had not started on it. Then I had to rush all around to take care of things before I headed out early Wednesday morning. It was for the most part a standard well put together funeral, (which one might expect at the funeral of a former funeral directory), but it turned out to be probably one of the top three or four memorable funerals I have attended. We all know that funerals are for the living to pay respects for the deceased, and so they are not something we enjoy, but we do it for our past associations and to comfort one another for our loss, and for the respect of the deceased and family members. Every once in awhile something happens to set apart a funeral from all others, and in most cases I have seen it is not the professional director, but a family member that does or says something special. And that is tough because it is a very trying time, and most people are terrified at speaking at crowds. At my Dad's funeral everyone compliemented Debbie and I on our daughter Alexis's piano playing. She was only fiffteen and was very nervous, but she played two songs flawlessly. At Louis' funeral, it was his son Matt that stepped up and gave by far the best eulogy and tribute to a father, (or for that matter anyone) that I have ever heard.

I had never met Matt until yesterday. The guide to the services did not show a break for Matt to speak, but he had prearranged with the priests at what point he wanted to get up and say a few words. I supposed everyone expected, as I did (but probably not Louis' wife Mary), that it would be a short, maybe choking, little talk about growing up with Louis as his Dad. Matt started off in a rather dramatic matter, slowly deliberately setting the stage for the championship basketball battle against their arch enemy the St Anthony's Bulldogs. About ten minutes into it, the silence in the audience at the beginning was so complete that it began to become noticeable. No coughing, no shufulling in the seats....the whole crowd was just mesmerized. Matt had gone beyound their teams loss and moved on to being the son of a funeral director as a teenager and all that goes through relationships with young men and their fathers through their twenties, the problems, the pranks, the situations that come up. Matt, without any hestitaion, pausing, forgetting or halting, went on in a measusred matter, that now occassionally brought laughs to the audience, but that were otherwise quiet. Many nodded in agreement over Matts explaining a number of Louis' quirks to a knowing audience, and a great many smiles. Matt continued on and never once lost his audience. It was all about him and how his relationship with "father" developed, split, became foggy , and was finalized in a newfound relationship the final few years. About twenty minutes into it, I was getting kind of a weird feeling like I was almost in the audience of a dramatic play watching a funeral scene. Matt is a very handsome man and has the looks of a leading man movie star. Had someone taken a professional quality video and played it back on a screen I would have thought it was a movie scene. Matt spoke for about thirty minutes, and he had the audience the whole time.

Joe's wife Karen and I went back to the lounge with the family while Joe was with the rest of the pallbearers Karen and I were talking about Matt's tribute. She told Matt she wished it had been recorded and I agreed. Louis was a perfectionist. He was known by his friends to be cheap (not reaching for the tab, getting into sports events free, etc.) but he never had anything associated with what he did look anything else but professional. His son Matt gave him a very professional and heartfelt sendoff.

[jrome]

Wayne, thanks so much for putting into words a synopsis of Louis' funeral. I was so mesmerized by Matt's eulogy and it left me wanting to hear more. What a tribute to Louis by his son. Joe lost a good and dear friend in Louis (although Joe could have choked him a few times ). Louis's wife, Mary, was so gracious and invited everyone back to her home for dinner. Everything was wonderful and we all continued to visit and tell stories of Louis' escapades, some we had never heard before . Our sides were hurting from laughing so much. Joe, Wayne and I left, going back to Houston and we continued to speak of Louis. This is the first funeral that I have ever been to, that when I left, I was not depressed and sad.

Karen

[Gene East]

When Joe called me Tuesday, I could tell just by the tone of his voice that something was wrong.

Joe and I talk on the phone regularly. Usually he talks until someone needs help at the store. He often gave me updates on Louis, this call was different. Just the cold hard facts and then he said goodby.

There was a saddness in Joe's voice that is seldom heard. He was telling a mutual friend that one of his dearest friends had passed away.

I was proud to call Louis my friend.

For those of you who never knew Louis, forget the stereo-typical impression of a mortician.

He was a fierce competitor and an extremely funny man.

[geodavid]

Gene, A person cannot have a better friend than Joe Rome. Joe visited Louis regularly and would call when he was there if Louis felt like talking. We are very fortunate to be among Joe's many, many friends. My thoughts are very much about our friends in Texas. Louis, Ray, Baldy, Buddy and so many others that made that part of my life an absolute joy.
I can remember getting so close to Louis you could not have placed your hand between the two boats. Of course, Louis usually won. I was often the victim of Louis's wry wit. I know he only picked on the people he liked. He MUST have really liked me! Joe Rome is the most loyal and BEST of friends.
alan

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You made me grin Alan about only a hand between your boats. Let me guess. I think you were doing your best to win......and Louis was the one who was trying to tweek you by rubbing chines. And if I'm right....it was down a straight, with plenty of room for a boat to pass by.

If I'm not right and it was in a turn, then I don't think you would have remembered it because that happens. Louis would do that in a turn too, but I think you had the same experience I did while growing up as a runabout driver. You already were a good driver, but as I told people at the funeral, Louis was like a big dog who would intimidate you and find out what you were made of. I may be wrong in your experience, but I bet I'm not.

[geodavid]

Yeah Wayne! Louis would snuggle up real close on the straightaway. If you moved over, he knew he had you. If you bumped him, he respected you. I think it should also be mentioned here that Louis was quite the fashionista. Louis was the first one that I ever saw wearing his pants low like all of the kids wear them today!
We miss you Louis.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Louis and Bruce Nicholson were getting so much respect for each other all the way down the back straight at Alex one year Alan, that Bruce sunk in the turn and Louis made it all the way back to the pits before he went down.

ADD: Just got off the phone with Joe. A thought had occurred to me and I asked him "Joe...if Louis had an F runabout, would you ride with him?" He didn't even hestitate "In a boat? Hell yeah! A piece of cake. You must have never rode in a car with him. Especially an ambulance. We once crossed a railroad track in his 421 four speed duece and flew fifty or sixty feet through the air before we landed. The first one to the scene gets the body."

[jrome]

If you ever rode with Louis, you will know what I am talking about. He drove those ambulances harder than he did an A Runabout. He said first one there gets the body, but if he got there second and the first ambulance's door was not open yet, Louis would drive right up to the rear bumper and park. Then they could not open their ambulance door. Can you imagine??? It was common play back then between ambulance companies. So, I would ride with Louis in an F Runabout and feel safer than when riding with him in an ambulance. Cause I never saw Louis flip a runabout in all the years that he raced!!!!! Gene was right, Louis was a fierce competitor on land as well as water.