Donald French Williford's Obituary
Architect Donald French Williford, 86, born July 12, 1931, son of notable Dallas Civil Engineer and designer of the Triple Underpass and the route for Loop 12, Carl Lex Williford, and Adeline Akers Williford, died in Rowlett peacefully of natural causes on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.A gifted watercolor artist, story-teller and architect of several notable office buildings including Preston Center’s Douglas Plaza and many Texas-based Braum’s ice cream parlors, Mr. Williford served in the Corps of Cadets and received his five-year Bachelors of Architecture degree from the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1952, married his wife, Teresa, and served as a commissioned First Lieutenant in the U. S. Army stationed at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, TX, from 1953-1955. He returned home to Dallas, became a lifelong member of the American Institute of Architects and the Texas Society of Architects and spent the rest of his life in a distinguished architectural career, first with J. N. MacCammon Architects, 1955-1965, then as a principal partner of Brandt & Williford, 1965-1971, then as owner of Williford Associates, A. I. A. Architects.Mr. Williford was not only a father to six children, including Carl Alan—who died at 3 from leukemia in 1965—but also to many more, whom he welcomed into his modernist split-level, copper-roofed, Sante Fe-style Lake Highlands home, counseling, cajoling and loving them all as if they were his own—especially his children’s countless cousins and lifelong friends. Greatly loved for his unfailing sense of humor, even in the most difficult of circumstances, Mr. Williford performed long, elaborate jokes to large crowds gathered in his kitchen, and will always be remembered and revered for his great generosity and kindness.Mr. Williford is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Teresa Louise James, daughter of John Thomas and Ruth Elizabeth James, both deceased, and five of his six children: Lex Akers, Lisa Ann Williford-Estevez, Louise Annette, John Thomas, and Mary Teresa Williford-Bayer.We love you and will miss you, Dad. You’ll always live through us and our children.A service will be held in Restland’s Wildwood Chapel at 3 pm, Saturday, November 4.All donations in lieu of flowers should be sent in memory of Carl Alan Williford and Donald French Williford to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate.
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