Graves of Hank and Audrey Williams
Posted by: OHail
N 32° 23.128 W 086° 17.464
16S E 566681 N 3583384
Graves of Hank and Audrey Williams in Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery Alabama.
Waymark Code: WMDJ51
Location: Alabama, United States
Date Posted: 01/19/2012
Views: 15
Hank Williams died sometime after midnight on January 1, 1953 and between Bristol, Virgina and Oak Hill, West Virginia. An autopsy was performed before his body was returned to Montgomery on January 2 and placed in a silver coffin which was first shown at his mother's boarding house for two days. It was then taken to and placed on the reportedly flower-covered stage at the Montgomery Auditorium for the funeral on January 4. An estimated 15,000 to 25,000 people passed by Williams' coffin, and the auditorium was filled with 2,750 mourners. His funeral was said to have been far larger than any ever held for any other Alabama citizen and the largest event ever held in Montgomery.
Governor Gordon Persons officially proclaimed September 21 "Hank Williams Day". The first celebration, in 1954 featured the unveiling of a monument at the Cramton Bowl, that was later placed in the grave site of Williams. The ceremony featured Ferlin Husky interpreting "I Saw the Light".
Audrey Mae Sheppard (February 28, 1923–November 4, 1975), better known as Audrey Williams, was an American musician and the first wife of country music icon Hank Williams, mother of Hank Williams, Jr. and grandmother of Hank Williams III and Holly Williams.
Audrey and Hank were married from December 15, 1944 until July 10, 1952 when their divorce was finalized.
Visit Instructions:
Please provide another photo of the location. You don't have to be in there shot, but you can. The photo requirement is to discourage any armchair visiting.