William E. Williamson, Jr, 84, a decorated US Army Lt. Colonel,
Professional Engineer, Mason, husband and father, died July 27, 2015.
An avid fisherman and hunter, he enjoyed his annual trips with family
and friends, and was especially happy to have made it to Colorado to
enjoy camping and fishing with his son, Bill, and daughter-in-law, Mary,
shortly before his death.

LTC Williamson, known by many as Bill, was born November 13,
1930 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His family moved the following year to
southern California. He graduated from Lake Elsinore Naval and
Military Academy with his twin brother, Richard, in June 1949 and the
University of Nevada, Mackay School of Mines in June 1953 with a BS
in Geological Engineering. He received his commission in the US Army
Corps of Engineers in August 1953.

He began his Army career as an Engineer Officer in Korea and then
as an instructor at the engineer school at Ft. Belvoir. Following
instructor duty he was selected to attend Ohio State University for
Advanced training in Geodesy and Photogrammetry. He continued his
Army career in several assignments in the Topographic field. He earned
his Master of Science degree in Earth Sciences from American
University in June 1961 and his Professional Engineer License in 1962.

LTC Williamson served in the south pacific area with Project Betty,
which was the first attempt to use artificial satellites to tie the world’s
entire datum’s together. Upon returning to the United States he was
involved with the development of the Army Space program. He was the
first Army office assigned to the Secretary of the Air Force Space
Systems office in 1964 to develop geometric cameras capable of
mapping the surface of the earth from an altitude of more than 100
miles. Later in his Army career he served on the Executive Office of the
President for Science and Technology and in Viet Nam as MAC V
mapping officer from September 1972 to August 1973 for which he was
awarded the Bronze Star. His final assignment was at the National
Photographic Interpretation Center, and retired in January 1975.

Amongst his most notable accomplishments while serving in the US
Army, was meeting and marrying Barbara Jane Argyle, of Michigan. He
met Barbara while serving in the Philippines’; she was a DoD English,
Spanish and Journalism teacher. They were married on July 2, 1960.

Bill was a respected member of the Masonic Lodge, a dedicated
member of the St. John’s Lodge #11 for more than 50 years. He served
as Master of St. John’s Lodge in 1982 and 1989. He became a Sojourner
in 1993. Other Masonic affiliations include the Scottish Rite and Almas
Temple, Royal Order of Scotland and Tall Cedars of Lebanon. In
addition to his activities in the Masons, he served at the Collingwood
Library and Museum in Virginia and was very active in local and
national Airstream Camping organizations. He and Barbara enjoyed
many caravans seeing so much of the United States and enjoying the
company of many truly wonderful people.

Bill is predeceased by his wife of more than 50 years, Barbara, and
his sister Murphy. He is survived by his twin brother Richard and his
wife Nancy of Colorado Springs, CO, his son William E. “Bill”
Williamson, III and his wife Mary Jane Williamson of Kremmling,
Colorado, his daughter Kathleen “Katy” Touve, her husband Larry
Touve, grandchildren Justin Touve, Jessica Touve and Tyler Touve, all
of Sterling, Virginia, and his daughter Anne Reese and her husband
Kenneth “Ken” Reese of Gardiner, Maine.

Bill’s remains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, in a
shared grave site with his wife, Barbara. Notification will be sent out
when the internment date is known. To receive this notification, please
be sure to sign the guest book.