Retired detective, Christmas party founder La Verne Williams dies at 66

La Verne Williams, long-time Carthage Police detective, juvenile crime expert and spearhead behind the Carthage Police Department’s Christmas Party, died on Thanksgiving Day.

Williams lost his battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a little less than a year after retiring from the Carthage police force and less than three weeks before the Christmas party he was helping to plan.

“One of the things I learned about LaVerne was you could always tell when he was on vacation,” said Carthage Police Chief Greg Dagnan. “If he was in the office without his tie, he was on vacation.”

The Carthage City Council honored Williams on Dec. 26, 2008 for his more than 31 years of service with the police department.

Even then, Williams wasn’t one to go quietly into the night.

“I love my job,” Williams told the council. “I don’t want to leave, but I have to because of my health.”

Working with children

Williams was known across the area and across the state for his work investigating crimes involving children.

Dagnan said at a recent meeting of the Missouri Police Juvenile Officers Association, he said he was from Carthage and someone said “oh, you must know LaVerne Williams.”

“When I worked for the prosecutors office, we knew if we got a case investigated by LaVerne, it was going to be a solid case,” Dagnan said. “Officers knew him and respected him across the area and across the state.”

Williams helped start Carthage’s DARE program to fight drug abuse in the local schools.

Williams worked to fight the stereotype of the police officer as the scary person to young people.

“A lot of people look at police work as arresting criminals, but it is a lot of community awareness as well,” Williams said in an interview last year. “I did a lot of community awareness in the schools. We got into the schools a lot with the DARE program and the safety programs and we tried to make it so kids were not afraid to look at us. We wanted them to know us as friends, someone to go to for help.”

Dagnan said even after retirement, Williams was ready to help younger officers with advice or encouragement.

“Even just walking around the station today, I’ve been hearing officers saying, well where do we go now if we have a question,” he said. “He was a valuable resource for our department and he will be missed.”

Party time

Even up to a few days before his death, Williams was active on the committee planning the Dec. 19 Carthage Police Department Christmas Party, an event he helped create more than 32 years ago.

Master Patrol Officer Chris Vandegevel is one of the planners of the Christmas Party, which brings toys and gifts to children in families that might otherwise have trouble providing Christmas gifts.

She told the Kiwanis Club on Nov. 18 that the committee planning the party was still meeting at Williams’ house and that Williams had a vast knowledge about organizing and planning the event, which has grown to as many as 700 children in recent years.

Williams attended last year’s event and talked about how much it meant to him to be a part of the party and see the caring displayed by the citizens of Carthage.

“We don’t call anyone for donations,” Williams said. “The media puts their reports in and the people just start giving. There is no city money in this event ether. This is a real caring community and it comes up with what is needed every year. The entertainment is donated, everything is donated and I’d like to continue doing this every year the money is available to do it.”

Alie Lopez, then a 9-year-old attending last year’s party, knew what Williams’ contribution to the city meant and she showed her appreciation by giving him a great big hug.

“Some people don’t have anybody to buy them Christmas presents,” Lopez said. “Mr. Williams is the best person ever because he started this party so children could get the Christmas they couldn’t afford to buy at the store.”