Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 9-18-15 Edition

Feature
Veteran Keeps Legacy Of Women’s Service In The Forefront
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The late Mrs. Willie Mae Williams, known as the “Veterans Lady,” was passionate about keeping the role of women’s service in the military in the fore- front. And, Mrs. Williams passed that legacy on to Ms. Eunice Butts.
In keeping with her role, Ms. Butts will deliver the keynote address of the 2015 Veterans Celebration on Sat- urday, September 19th. The event will take place at 10 a.m., at St. James A. M. E. Church, in Palmetto, Rev. Frankie S. Fayson, III, is the Senior Pastor.
The theme for the pro- gram on Saturday is “Bourne to Battle: Hon- oring Our Unsung He- roes.” And that theme fits with Ms. Butts’ beliefs. “Today, as a community, we should pray and take under our wings, all of our veterans in war today. Most have been damaged, if not men- tally, then physically, or both. They need our shoul- der to lean on for support and love.”
Ms. Butts said, “I am
carrying on the legacy that
Mrs. Willie Mae Williams left behind. She told me to be sure and let the world know about the Amer- ican Legion and what it does for the children, the commu- nity, veterans, and the mili- tary, and to continue to tell the untold story of female veterans.”
Mrs. Williams was raised in Tampa, but relo- cated after graduating from Booker T. Washington High School. She became a mem- ber of the Women’s Army Air Corp in 1942. She served active duty for 3 years.
Mrs. Williams returned to Tampa in 1972, and began promoting the role that women have played in the military. She continued that activism until her death on March 14, 2009, at the age of 96.
Ms. Butts accepted her role and has since moved through the ranks of veteran organizations. Currently, she is the first African Amer- ican female to serve as the 15th District Commander, and has served for two years. She is also serving as the District of Florida Central Area Commander.
WILLIE MAE WILLIAMS 10/23/1912 - 3/14/2009
Currently, 3 districts, 21,500 veterans, and 47 American Legion posts in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Pinellas Counties fall under her leadership.
After graduating from Middleton High School, Ms. Butts was the first to sing opera at the school. Ms. Butts said she was sup- posed to attend college. However, those plans did not materialize.
“In 1965, I was walking down the street and I saw a sign that said, ‘I want you,’ and I went in. I became a member of the U. S. Air
EUNICE BUTTS
Force and served a com- bined total of nearly 16 years,” she said.
When Ms. Butts left ac- tive duty, she settled in Montgomery, Alabama. She soon learned that the Air Force was looking for an African American woman for their Reserves. “Mem- bers of the community di- rected them to me.”
A Tampa native, Ms. Butts is the mother of two sons and a daughter. She is also the grandmother of three children. She is a member of First Union Mis- sionary Baptist Church.
Ms. Butts later contin- ued her education at Gibbs Junior College, in St. Peters- burg, on a music scholar- ship. She also attended St. Jude School of Nursing in Montgomery, Alabama.
Now carrying on the legacy left to her, Ms. Butts attends national confer- ences, accepts speaking en- gagements to talk about veterans, and remains ac- tively involved in military af- fairs.
For more information about the event contact Ms. LaKay Fayson at (813) 778-9124.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 , 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-B