‘The army was his first wife’

Oliver Nathaniel Williams, a Jamaican military veteran and former vice-president of the Jamaica Legion, led a life dedicated to service, discipline, and had an unwavering love for his country.

He was a man who deeply valued the army and its training, which shaped him into the focused, disciplined individual who influenced countless lives around him.

Speaking with his daughter, Keisha Blair, it became clear that his legacy extends far beyond his military service.

“He was very proud of his military work, always spoke fondly about the army,” Blair shared, adding how her mother always stated, “The army was his first wife, and I was the second.”

Blair fondly recalls the stories her father told about his early training at Newcastle, Jamaica’s renowned military training facility, where he was one of the last soldiers to be trained by the British on Jamaican soil.

“They had to take apart a gun and put it back together by hand in a certain time frame. And the physical aspect of it, too, like running from Newcastle to August Town as part of their training,” she recalled.

He was not just a soldier, but a proud representative of his country. His daughter remembers that he met Queen Elizabeth II twice during her visits to Jamaica, once when he was a young JDF soldier and again, later in life, as vice-president of the Jamaica Legion.

“He was on the receiving line both times, which is remarkable, because not many soldiers get that experience twice.”

Seeing a young Williams on the line, the Queen said to him, “Why did you join the military so young?”

Williams always looked younger than his age, Blair recalled.

“I’ve always wanted to join the military,” was Williams’ humble response to The Queen.

Even in his later years, he remained deeply involved in community work, particularly through the Legion.

Blair reflects on how, growing up, her father’s military influence permeated their family life.

“He would pick me up from dance practice, and we would go to Curphey Place. He was always doing work with the ex-soldiers there, visiting the elderly and doing community-building,” she said. “That sense of discipline and service to others stayed with him throughout his life.”

For Blair, her father’s discipline was evident even in his corporate career.

“He developed a reputation as one of the best in his field (accounting). I remember how sharp he was with numbers. He could do calculations in his head quickly, even into his late 80s,” she explained.

But his love for his family was unfathomable. Blair shared how her father was always protective and supportive, both as a father and a grandfather.

“As a grandparent, he dressed every cut. So when the kids have a cut or a sprain, he always was ready,” she said.

Blair recalls her father’s dedication to his grandchildren’s interests, like football, making sure they had the right shoes for their games, as well as recitals. “When the shoes wore out, he would be the first to order new ones.”

As his wife, Dr Bernice Williams, reflected on his early life, from a young boy in rural Jamaica to a respected figure in the army, and later a devoted caretaker of his community, it became clear that his character was shaped by both his upbringing and his personal experiences.

Furniture for indigent

Although born in Darliston, Westmoreland, Williams grew up in the Newmarket community.

“One of the things he had a passion for was to make furniture for the indigent people who couldn’t afford it. So, from an early age, even during school, he was making furniture, his own makeshift furniture for those who couldn’t afford to buy. And he also had a passion that he took into adulthood of making indigent houses. So he would collect the material and make houses for people who needed shelter,” Dr Williams shared.

Williams’ early exposure to community care was influenced by his father, a major in the Salvation Army, whose Christian values impacted his son’s mindset.

“Even on his deathbed, he was telling his grandson that the reason why he loved the song, The Lord’s My Shepherd, was because of the teachings he got from his father. He said his father would start his services with it. That impacted him greatly.”

Williams’ helpful spirit led him to the military at the age of 17, a life-changing decision. “He saw the opportunity there of getting further education. Because when you are recruited into the army, you are allowed to do further training in whatever field.”

Dr Williams described him as calm, loving and caring, especially towards the elderly, but also very strong and brave.

Dr Williams fondly remembers how her husband would tell stories of how, as a boy, he was always the one to rescue his siblings.

“He would make a big joke of it and rescue them from themselves. One of his brothers, older than he was, was afraid of the dark. And so, wherever the brother was, as soon as it gets dark, his father would call him and send him to rescue him.”

Dr Williams shared that when doctors told him he had only a few days to live, he responded with unwavering determination.

“He told the doctors they were joking. He was going to fight through and make it that night,” she said.

At 88 years old, Williams succumbed to his sickness three days later, after about three months of organ failure, starting with the liver then the kidney, bladder and other organs.

As a father, Williams was strict, but Blair now appreciates how his discipline shaped her into the person she is today. She hopes that her father’s values, such as his deep love for his country, his commitment to family, and his unwavering discipline, will live on in future generations.

His funeral will take place on May 22 at the Covenant Moravian Church in St Andrew at 10 a.m., with the interment at Up Park Camp.

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com