McWilliams' wife: 'He'll continue to inspire'

Published in the Courier News, Saturday, April 7, 2007

McWilliams' wife: 'He'll continue to inspire'

By CHAD HEMENWAY
Staff Writer

PLAINFIELD -- Former Mayor Albert T. McWilliams and his wife, Darlene, were to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this June.

Albert, or "Al" as his wife called him, wasn't a flashy guy, but he loved to celebrate worthy occasions and couldn't keep himself from giving his wife a ring as an early anniversary gift on his birthday in October -- the same date that he asked her to marry him.

"It's fabulous," she said of the ring. "I'm grateful. I'm going to treasure it always."

But more than any material object, Darlene McWilliams said she will miss her husband's optimism and energy.

"His personality was catchy," she said. "He inspired me and the people around him. When things were difficult, he always looked at the bright side of things."

Albert T. McWilliams died early Friday morning after a battle with renal cancer. He and his wife have five children: Annie, 22; Allison, 18; Albert III, 16; Adam, 14' and Avery, 12.

McWilliams moved his family to Plainfield from Atlanta in 1987. Soon, he took it upon himself to "make sure the city was a healthy place for his family to thrive," his wife said.

"It was always about a childhood dream of his to have an impact in his community," Darlene McWilliams said. "He had many influences growing up in the south. He wanted to be a positive influence here."

McWilliams' children called him a "big kid," his wife said. He did a majority of the Christmas shopping for the children.

"He thought them out, taking into account who they were at the time -- what they needed," Darlene McWilliams said. "He loved watching the kids on Christmas."

Family vacations were much of the same, she said. In an instant, she recalled trips to the beach, to Martha's Vineyard, to a Pennsylvania inn, horseback riding and apple picking. McWilliams, a nature lover, enjoyed fishing but would always stop what he was doing to bait a hook for his kids.

"He is going to be so missed," she said. "He always planned something great for us."

McWilliams was diagnosed with cancer about four months ago.His wife said she and McWilliams made the most of the time they had left together, just sitting and talking. The family would pray together, she said, and he taught his family to praise.

"Al had a very full life," Darlene McWilliams said. "He raised a good family, excellent children. Each one of them felt loved.

"He inspired me every day to fulfill my dreams," she continued. "He'll continue to inspire us all always."

Chad Hemenway can be reached (908) 707-3148 or chemenway@gannett.com

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This story appeared in the Courier News print edition for Saturday, April 7, 2007. It is being posted online by Plainfield Today as a public service.

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