Mr. Haulman;
I am Daniel Wiliams, Sr., Dorothy [Brooks]’s younger brother. I too have only distant memories of our Aunt Lexie (Davis). My mother’s family history is marred with many tragedies-from losing a sister in a playground accident, to losing a brother in a fist fight, to losing another brother in an unknown manner, and to losing Aunt Lexie in Guyana. Yet, she stood strong all of her life and tried to instill in us a strong sense of family. My father’s family in contrast was blessed with longevity, educational opportunities, and bi-annual family reunions that started in the 1970’s and are still going strong today. My mother was one of the catalysts for my father’s family reunions. I believe her own family history was one of the reasons why she felt so strongly about that.
To Dorothy’s point, the memorial represents the chance for my aunt and the others souls to stand as a reminder of the full breadth of the human spirit. For the varied reasons of why the tragedy happened, to the love of those who built the memorial, we can overcome through faith, grace, forgiveness, and love. That is an important message for the world today.
–Daniel W. Williams
P.O. Box 20731
Beaumont, Texas 77720