Rockland County (NY) Police band to honor late Savannah woman over St. Patrick's Day weekend
St. Patrick’s Day was the late Cece Williams’ favorite holiday and a group of guys from New York City ― active and retired police officers ― who march every year in Savannah’s annual parade were among her biggest fans.
When she died of acute pancreatis last August, Cece received a graveside sendoff in Bonaventure Cemetery from a few of the New York guys ― a bagpiper, a drummer and an honor guard ― who are members of the Rockland County Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums Band. She was buried wearing the band’s patch and pin, along with her Clan Bailey kilt skirt.
The Rockland County police officers have been participating in Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities for more than 20 years and at some point during those local appearances, Cece “being the gregarious soul that she was, established a good, solid friendship” with the band members, recalled her mother, Julia Williams.
“As the years went by, Cece became their local ambassador,” she added. “Every St. Patrick’s Day Cece stayed at The DeSoto and always had a hospitality suite stocked and ready for (the Rockland group).”
Julia and her husband, Charlie, known affectionately to the Rockland guys as “Mama and Papa Williams,” were humbled earlier this year when they received an email from the band asking if they could perform a graveside tribute for Cece the afternoon before this year’s parade. At 3:15 p.m., March 15, the men in full regalia, who received permission from the city-owned Bonaventure Cemetery, will march in formation to Cece’s grave. The next day the Rockland Band’s parade banner will include a ribbon honoring Cece and other deceased family members.
The beginnings of a beautiful friendship
Julia and Charlie still can’t believe that Cece’s unofficial adopted brothers are going to such extremes to honor their beloved daughter.
“We were speechless to think that they think that much of Cece,” Julia said. “They are absolutely the greatest people.” Prior to the March 15th graveside ceremony, the Williamses will host a luncheon for the band, in appreciation of their ongoing love for Cece.
Joe Cottone of the Rockland group remembers how he met Cece a few days before St. Patrick’s Day that first year the band travelled to Savannah. The men dropped their bags at The DeSoto and made a beeline to McDonough’s to “unwind, grab some lunch and beverages,” he said.
“We started doing our thing (slowly taking over the place) and through the door came this (woman) full of confidence and Southern charm. One of our drummers was quick to introduce Miss Cece Williams,” he said, adding that she quickly tuned into their humor and encouraged the men to move to the next room to meet her parents.
“From that moment on, a beautiful relationship was born between the Williams family and the members of the Rockland County Emerald Society Police Pipes and Drums Band,” he explained. Extended family members including Cottone’s son became Cece fans and University of Georgia followers because of her love for all things UGA.
Other traditions also were established when Cece met the Rockland guys. Every year the band would buy a “low-end cooler” to carry along on the parade route, Cottone said, adding the inexpensive cooler always would be thrown away at the end of the route.
One year, the band purchased a rugged, industrial-strength cooler with inflatable tires that also was to be abandoned after the parade.
“Cece would have none of that, Cottone said. “She quickly asserted that she would take custody of ‘the coolah’ and that it would be waiting for us at The Desoto the following March. Sure enough, a few days before we were to arrive in Savannah, without fail, I would receive a text announcing that ‘the coolah’ would be awaiting our arrival (that year and every year after). “
Each March 17, it became “Miss Cece’s law” for the band members to stop by the hotel to have the obligatory pre-parade mimosas, Cottone said.
Then, during every parade, “Miss Cece would enter our ranks and leave a bright red token of her love for us on our cheeks,” he remembered. “She followed through even that one year when she had to hop over a metal barrier and yell to the police officer who had told her she couldn’t. Cece promptly stated, ‘Oh no, these are MY BOYS.’”
Cece quickly became “one of us, as did the rest of her family,” Cottone said.
“When Cece traveled to New York City with her cousin, I called her and was instructed to come to the bar in their hotel in Times Square,” he recalled. “While driving through the Lincoln Tunnel, I called her back and asked if they wanted to have a good time or a great time? Cece promptly chose a great time.”
Cottone drove Cece and her cousin to an Irish pub where Cece made a donation in honor of her late aunt Barbara Jones.
“Whenever Mama and Papa Williams would visit New York, a few of the band members would meet up with them and enjoy dinner at some of the fine restaurants throughout the city.”
When Cottone heard of Cece’s death, “there was no question that I would make the trip to pay my respects to Cece and the entire Williams Family,” he said. Because of police scheduling and other factors, only three band members could make the trip for her wake and funeral.
“I haven’t attended any band functions due to several injuries ― back, knee and hip ― for more than three years, but I dropped everything, linked up with one of the pipers, grabbed my drum and headed to Savannah where we met with one of the members of the band’s honor guard to attend the services for Cece. It was the least that we could do to mourn, celebrate and honor our own family member, Miss Cece Williams.”
As their flight descended into Savannah, the men were full of sadness, not joy, Cottone recalled.
“We knew we had a job to do, and we were focused on doing it well,” he said. “We were there to tend to all of the Williams’ family’s needs and to send Cece home to our Lord,” he said.
The next day, as their flight climbed out of Savannah, Cottone said he was hit with the reality that Savannah and the world had been changed forever “with the loss of our sister.”
This St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah certainly will be different for the Rockland Band, but no doubt, the men will toast “Miss Cece” more than a few times, and recall the good times they had with one of their own.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: New York police band to celebrate Savannah woman's life
