WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Arthur Bea Williams is a name known to many Texomans because of the strides she’s made in the Wichita Falls community.
Ms. Arthur Bea will be turning 88 on August 2 and her family and friends are asking for the community to send her birthday cards.
They want enough cards to break the Guinness world record of 350 million cards sent to one person. Truly a celebration fit for an icon.
“You never think about yourself as a legend, that’s a pretty powerful word,” said Arthur Bea Williams.
But a legend is exactly what Ms. Arthur Bea Williams is. Williams was Wichita Falls’ first black City Councilor, first black female mayor, first black Judge in Wichita County, and the first black Justice Of The Peace.
Former courthouse coworker and friend Shunta McFadden says she’s left a lasting impact on her own life.
“I worked at the courthouse for twenty years and without people like Judge Arthur Bea I would never have been able to be there had it not been for people like her,” said Shunta McFadden, President of the AKA Omicron Epsilon Omega Wichita Falls Chapter.
McFadden says Williams is truly the treasure of the Wichita Falls Community and she knows that now was a great time to honor her once again.
“A lot of people love Ms. Arthur Bea. She’s touched a lot of people’s lives,” said McFadden.
On August 2, Williams will celebrate her 88th birthday and her friends and family insist they celebrate in a major way.
Williams’ family and friends are asking the community to help them try and break the world record of 350 million birthday cards previously sent to a person. They will start collecting the cards on July 25.
“She’s done so much here in the community and paved the way for a lot of us and we really want to just honor her at this time on her birthday coming up,” said McFadden.
For a woman who has dedicated so much of her life giving back to others and making history, many hope this gesture will leave a lasting memory on Ms. Arthur Bea.
“I appreciate all that Wichita Falls has done for me. The least I could have done was to pay it back,” said Williams.
A way for Wichita Falls, in return, to thank her for all she’s done for it.
You can start sending those birthday cards out to Ms. Arthur Bea Williams on Sunday. The address where you can send the cards to is P.O. Box 8172, Wichita Falls, Texas 76307.