1918
William
2018
William E. Delamar
April 13, 1918 — September 14, 2018
The life of Centenarian William E. Delamar came to a sweet demise on Friday, September 14, 2018 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was surrounded by his children and family. He leaves behind a legacy that spans 100 years, 2,405 months, 9,620 weeks, 67,353 days, 1,616,472 hours, 96,988,320 minutes and 5,819,299,200 seconds. William was born on April 3, 1918 in Dalark, Arkansas to the union of Jessie Franklin Delamar and Beulah Mary Josephine Butler Delamar. He and his younger brother, James Thomas were raised in a Christian home. His parents were highly respected in the Dalark community and William learned early to honor thy mother and thy father.
William and his brother sharecropped with their father to help support home. He often dreamed of a better way of life and was determined to have such. William met a beautiful young lady, full of life named Maggie Lean Weaver. After an appropriate period of courtship, he proposed to her and on August 14, 1937 they were united in Holy Matrimony. When his oldest daughter Maggie Jean was a few months old, they moved and settled in Malvern, Arkansas. He moved to Michigan for a very brief time and worked at Ford Motor Company.
He worked as a boiler operator at Anthony Timberlands in Malvern, Arkansas. He retired after 30 years of dedicated service. He was not a stranger to work at all and went back to Anthony Timberlands. He worked another full 35 years, retiring a second time in 1992 with a total of 65 years as an employee.
William was a 78-year lifelong member and the oldest member of First Baptist Church Vine. He was a faithful member and served on the finance committee and as a trustee. Although he never joined the choir, he enjoyed singing and “raising old 100 hymns”. One of the last hymns he sang a few weeks before his passing was “Walk with Me Lord”.
He was such a wonderful and loving human. He was a gifted horse trainer and a true green thumb. Because of his skill and craft as a horse trainer, he was widely sought for “breaking” and training horses which he had practically done all his life. He was a known gardener; he specialized in growing collard greens. He loved to share his crops and always encouraged family and friends to come back and get more. His fragile frame and health wouldn’t allow him to tend the garden; so, his girls would bring soil and buckets to the porch for him to continue his passion.
On Sunday, July 17, 2016 his beloved Maggie passed in her 97th season of life. They were married for 79 years and he never forgot her. He was preceded in transition by a son, James Edward Delamar and a brother, James Thomas Delamar.
He leaves three children: Maggie Jean Risher of Austin, TX, Shirley Ann McWilliams of Memphis, TN and Jacquelyn Renee Mitchell of Jacksonville, AR; eleven grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren; godchildren, Lynn Summerville of Malvern, AR, Rev. Dr. Bobbie Anderson of Malvern, AR and Charles Anderson of Little Rock, AR. He also leaves a multitude of nieces, nephews, as well as other relatives, the First Baptist Church Vine family and many friends.
Public visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018 at First Baptist Church Vine, 220 Vine Street in Malvern. The family will receive friends and share memoires of Mr. Delamar from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Bobbie Anderson, officiating. A celebration of his life will be shared at 11:000 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at First Baptist Church Vine with Rev. Chat Hart, eulogist. Interment will be at Houston-Turner Cemetery in Dalark, Arkansas.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William E. Delamar, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Public Visitation
Friday, September 21, 2018
5:00 - 7:00 pm (Central time)
First Baptist Church Vine
Family Gathering
Friday, September 21, 2018
6:00 - 7:00 pm (Central time)
First Baptist Church Vine
Celebration of Life
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Starts at 11:00 am (Central time)
First Baptist Church Vine
Guestbook
Visits: 24
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