Obituary of Taylor "Sonny Boy" Williamson

Taylor B. “Sonny Boy” Williamson, III, age 88, died March 28, 2020, at his home in Jackson. Sonny was born on Thursday, February 11, 1932, in Jackson, the only son of the late Taylor B. Williamson, Jr. and Myrtle Johnson Hoard. He grew up in Jackson and graduated from Jackson High School. Sonny enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was sworn in on June 27, 1950, two days after the war in Korea started. Sonny spent his time in the war serving as the crew chief and head mechanic of a p-51, assigned to the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 5th Air Force, stationed at the airbase in Kimpo, Korea. After the war, Sonny returned home and after bumming around on his motorcycle for a year or so, he began working at the General Motors Assembly plant in Doraville, where he worked for 39 years. He retired and returned home to Jackson in 1996. He married Hilda Willard on December 24, 1956, and together they raised a family of five children, Christy Williamson Hafley, Robert Michael “Mitch” Williamson, Betsy Williamson Crawford, Timothy Scott Williamson, and Roger Mark Williamson. He was well known around Jackson for playing the mandolin and spent some of his final years touring around Georgia playing with his band “Slim Pickins.” In addition to his parents, Sonny is preceded in death by his loving wife and his brother, Gery M. Hoard. Surviving are his children, son-in-law, Michael R. Hafley; daughter-in-law, Rachel Case-Williamson, and Stine Theede; sister, Mrs. Helen Hardy and her husband, Jimmy B. of Flovilla; grandsons; and a large number of nieces, nephews, and cousins. A memorial service for Sonny Williamson will be announced at a later date. Memorials suggested to the Jackson Veterans Memorial Park, P.O. Box 838 Jackson, Georgia, payable to the City of Jackson, on the memo of the check please put Jackson Veterans Memorial Park. Sherrell-Westbury Funeral Home, 212 East College Street, Jackson, is serving the Williamson family.