By Eagle Newswire
Lloyd H. Williams, Jr. was born on May 12, 1933 to Mildred P. Williams and Lloyd H. Williams, Sr. He was the first born of this marriage and Beryl Anita was born years later, at the historic Moton Hospital at Greenwood and Pine.
He grew up in a business environment where his father was a pharmacist and owner of Williams Drug Store at 119 North Greenwood, the famously known commercial district.
His mother was a school teacher, and she kept Lloyd interested in his school studies. The family was among the pioneering members of First Baptist Church, even before it was relocated to its present site. Lloyd therefore understood from his youth Christian training the importance of making God the leader of his life. He was baptized early in life.
He attended Dunbar Elementary, Carver Junior High and graduated from Booker T. Washington in 1951. Lloyd followed in his father’s footsteps and entered the University of Nebraska School of Pharmacy. After two years he transferred to Texas Southern University School of Pharmacy in Houston, Texas. It was probably not a coincident that Janis Miles who attended Fisk University during that same two year period also transferred to Texas Southern at the same time as Lloyd. In 1956 Lloyd graduated with a degree in Pharmacy and Janis graduated with a degree in Fine Arts.
Lloyd spent two years in the Army (Medical Core). Then the happy couple was married in 1958. Lloyd joined his dad, Lloyd H, Williams, Sr., in operating Williams Drug Store in the heart of Greenwood. Janis and Lloyd became the joyful parents of two sons, Lloyd and Albert.
In May 1961, Lloyd’s father passed away and he stepped into his shoes as full operator and owner of Williams Drug Store which had been launched in the 1930’s as Greenwood recovered from the 1921 Race Massacre. However, in the early 1960’s Urban Renewal acquired most of the Greenwood business sites for redevelopment? The store was sold and Lloyd went to work as a pharmacist for the Tulsa Department of Health to make way for the urban freeway system. As the old Moton Hospital was revitalized as a community health center he became the chief pharmacist for the center. For a short period Lloyd supplemented his pharmaceutical career and added entertainment promotions bringing national recording artist to Tulsa and throughout the Southwest region.
In 1990, a new generation of commercial businesses opened on Greenwood, both as a symbol of urban revitalization and community development. Lloyd did not give up on serving the patrons of Greenwood and therefore opened a new Pharmacy at 125 Greenwood, several doors from the original Williams Drug Store. After five years he and Dr. Gary Davis shared space at North Point Shopping Center (Cincinnati and Pine). There he remained until he retired as his diminishing eyesight became too severe.
He remained a committed entrepreneur meeting the needs of the community he loved.
Beryl and Ken (sister and brother-in-law) moved him to Houston in March 2018, so that he would have daily skilled nursing care and access to the Texas Medical Center. He died Saturday afternoon, October 26, 2019 at Houston Methodist Hospital just as he finished his dialysis treatment.
His body is being returned to his home a.m.. A wake and Omega Service will be conducted at Biglow Funeral Home on Friday, Nov. 1 at 1414 N. Norfolk from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Lloyd was predeceased by his wife, Janis May, 2013; his son Albert April, 2013; and his grandson Spencer (Albert’s son).
