By Debbie Jacob

Sunday Express

January 4, 1998

Page 26

For hundreds of Trinidadians he was a beacon of hope; a Mercedes Benz-driving rags to riches story who could make countless clients feel special.

Frederick (Fred) Williams lost his battle with cancer on January 2^nd. He died at the Living Waters Hospice on Warner Street where he was taken on Christmas Eve.

Williams inspired many people on his long, hard road to success as one of Trinidad and Tobago's most popular and successful insurance agents Williams' diligence and dignity helped to redefine the stereotypical image of the hustling insurance agent. His kindness and caring, which included birthday and Christmas cards for every client and personal house calls, to collect the smallest premium, were difficult for other insurance salesmen to match.

Williams worked hard and played hard, participating in carnival and pumping iron in the gym until a rare form of muscle cancer claimed his leg over a year ago. But the battle actually began in January of 1994 when Dr. Welch made the diagnosis and suggested an aggressive chemotherapy treatment.

Encouraged by friends and supported emotionally and financially by Maritime Insurance, where he earned his reputation as the company's top insurance salesman, Fred Williams waged a brave and noble battle against the cancer that claimed his life on January 2^nd. He underwent painful chemotherapy, numerous operations - including the amputation of his leg and the removal of a disc in his back - and still showed up for work, against his doctors' orders. He cared about his clients as though they were his children and he helped people to pla for the future.

Fred Williams was born on July 15, 1940 in Guyana, where he lived with his maternal grandmother until the age of six when she died of a stroke.

Fred and his sister then joined their parents and four other siblings in Success Village, Laventille. His father was a tailor and his mother a housewife, who earned a reputation for her sweetbreads and cakes, which she sold in a neighbourhood shop.

Although it was a financial strain for his family to send him to school, Williams managed to complete primary school at Success RC School and secondary school at Osmond Boys High School. He had to drop out at 16 for financial reasons.

But Fred Williams was never one to dwell on life's obstacles. Instead, he believed that hard work, courage and determination would prevail.

He was determined to break out of poverty and be a success. Williams began working at St James Barracks with his paternal Uncle Mel, who gave him a small share of his wages.

From there, he joined Martin's Marketing, a winemaking firm. Although he washed bottles, labelled wines and cleaned barrels, it was being on the road that he enjoyed the most. He agreed to work for commissions and made enough money to help support his family. He was so successful at the commissions game that the company decided to cut the commission rate.

Williams left and joined his friend Stephen Swan, an insurance agent. Again, his commissions outweighed what the company felt it could pay. He was in and out of the insurance business at Sun Life and considered a position as a male nurse at the St Ann's Hospital. He also took courses at the University of the West Indies Extra Mural department and contemplated a career in law.

In 1961, when Maritime Life decided to setup an office in Trinidad, Williams became associated with the company, which would be the place where he earned a reputation as one of he hardest working and most successful insurance salesmen in Trinidad.

On May 27, 1962, he married Myrtle Noreiga. They had five children, whom he sent to universities in the US. He was determined by now to make it in the insurance business. In 1966, he became the top producer at Maritime and maintained that position for 18 consecutive years.

Ten years later, he became the first Trinidadian ever to quality for the United States Million-Dollar Round Table Award. After achieving this honour for six consecutive years, he was made a life member. In 1970 Williams became a supervisor at Maritime Life. In 1985 he was appointed area chairman of his organization.

Williams achieved his mission to become the best life insurance sales representative in Trinidad and Tobago. He accomplished this by knowing his clients and offering a service that few people could match.

His motto was "I won't do business with you if I am not prepared to offer you the quality of service you deserve." He always believed the customer was his boss. Fred Williams, always impeccably dressed and prepared to meet his people's needs, drove to his client's house in his sandy brown Mercedes and approached his clients with humility.

He was more than a salesman. He was a friend and a father to his clients. That was the secret of his success.

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I can't remember how I met Fred Williams and so I am left to think that he was sent to me like a guardian angel.

When my daughter, Ijanaya, now ten, was two months old, I bought an education policy for her. Over the years, I wondered if I could invest my money better and several times I decided to cancel the policy. Williams talked me out of it, warning me that the money, which was deducted from each salary, would slip though my fingers if I cancelled.

Over the years, Ijanaya enjoyed her birthday and Christmas cards from Mr. Williams and no matter how busy he was, he always had time to talk when he came to the house to collect a premium. Sometimes I would be $4 or $40 short. "That's ok," he'd shrug. "I'll take care of it."

Sometimes I said to him, "I'm afraid of insurance companies. I'm afraid I’ll spend all that time paying and when the day comes to collect, there won’t be anything."

"No," he reassured. "I'll be there to hand you the cheque on that proud day.'

On Old Year's Night, when I visited Fred Williams in the Living Waters Hospice, I watched his frail body, still fighting to the end. He was unable to talk, but he responded by raising his eyebrows. "Thank you," I said, "for everything." Ijanaya took her book of cards she had saved over the years and left a belated Christmas card for him. When I turned to walk out the door, I thought about how sad I will feel ten years from now, when I collect Ijanaya's policy (if God spares my life) without his comforting smile and proud reassurance.

As I left, I remembered that Fred Williams had always been a man of his word. I realize now he will be there on that day: in spirit.

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