Growing up fast, driving fast cars and being the son of a Maybelline heir in the 1970's, was quite the hayday!

My sister Donna with Preston  in 1977

1966, my brother Preston turned 16. He lived with our dad, Bill Williams, at his estate in Palm Springs. Our dad, owned many exotic cars.  Any kid would be tempted to sneak the keys, invite a friend and take a spin through the winding streets of  Old Los Palmas. Since our handsome, man about town, dad, spent plenty of time, "doing his own thing," so to speak, my brother was hard pressed to keep his hands of daddy's cars.  Here is one of my favorite stories, written by Preston.

Dads 1971 Jag XKE V12, was quite fast.  I remember doing one of those joy rides, unbeknownst to Dad, who was at the condo in Newport Beach.  Tom and I had just driven out of the gates of Casa de Guillermo, turned right on to Patencio Road and then pulled onto the dirt shoulder side of the road, to test it's pony's.  I threw it into low drive and punched it!  It starting spinning it's wheels throwing dirt and all of a sudden grabbed a rock or something and jerked to the left.  The car did a complete 360 circle.  The long front end swung around like the hand of a clock and we both saw the wall next to us coming closer and closer as the front end swung around. Thank God the car missed it by the hair of my chiney chin chin, but needless to say that pretty much ended our fun for the day, as we both we freaked out after that!  But, tomorrow would come and I am sure we got into something else because I knew where the keys to all the cars were so, when dad left.....it was always an adventure! 

Written by William Preston Williams lll

Read more about Preston and his adventures in The Maybelline Story 

Lou Gehrig's disease

Also called: ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ABOUT

SYMPTOMS

TREATMENTS

A nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function.

Sadly, my brother Preston, has recently been diagnosed with ALS disease. So far it has affected his voice and he has some weakness in his arms and legs. He fell because of a lazy foot and broke 4 toes a few days ago. ALS, is a hideous disease with no answer as to why it attacks.  If any of you know people with ALS, post on my blog. I would love some information and encouragement. 

http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/  Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge. It raised money for a cure check it out

"Miss Maybelline" is born, after Tom Lyle's death.

1977, Nana becomes Miss Maybelline, gets a divorce, has a face lift, at 76 and forever remains 45.

For the full details of Miss Maybelline's life and times in her 70's, ending in an unexpected tragedy, pick up your copy of The Maybelline Story today.

Maybelline Heiress Evelyn Williams becomes a Bride in her 70's.

My 73 almost 74 year old grandmother runs off and marries a man 12 years her junior in Nov, 1974.

The Bride and Groom married at the Balboa Bay Club against my father's will.

Bride and Groom, with "The Other Woman," who will lead Nana into a nightmare.

Blushing Bride with her bouquet, as my brother Preston and I wish her well.

Because this part of the story is so unbelievable I'm not posting much about it.  If you want to know all the sordid details, please order a signed copy of The Maybelline Story at http://www.maybellinebook.com/.

Maybelline Girl becomes a Bride!

"A toast to Mr. and Mrs. Beautiful," he said - as Father of the Bride -  kicking off an all night reception, at his Palm Springs estate, before sending his daughter and her new husband off on an Acapulco Honeymoon. 

Married on the steps on my Fathers Spanish Casa, with 250 quests in attendance. 

Gene E. Dorney Attorney at Law, and his Bride,

Sharrie Lynn Williams. 

 Though I was sad letting go of my last name, Williams, I was very happy being Mrs Gene. E. Dorney.  Here we are in Acapulco having fun, before getting sun-stroke, winding up sick in bed and having to come home early.   For the next 6 months, my job was writing out hundreds of thank you notes, finding a place for a room filled with Shower and Wedding gifts and looking for a new home - a Wedding gift from my father.

Want to know more?  Pick you a signed copy of The Maybelline Story and be prepared for a roller coaster ride that will leave you waiting to exhale. 

Maybelline Kids: "To Thine Own Self Be True, in the 1970's."

Plough Inc. merged with Schering and became Schering-Plough in 1971 and the stock doubled for all the Maybelline stockholders.  By June of 1972,  it was my generation's turn to get a taste of honey, with or without our parents blessings. 

Bill Williams and Sharrie, June, 1972.

By 1972, my parents were divorced and my dad was about to marry Linda, against our wishes - so to soften the blow he showered us with gifts to keep us preoccupied.  Here I am on my 25th Birthday with a hand full of hundred dollar bills, meant to pay for a summer in Europe.  He figured that while my sister Donna and I were out of town, he'd sell our house on Lido Isle and buy an estate in Palm Springs, right next door to the famous pianist, Liberace.  He wanted to start a new life with Linda, her three kids and my little sister Billee and brother Preston.  All I wanted to do was marry my boyfriend, Gene Dorney and start a new life myself.

                 My sister Donna, in Barcelona Spain. 

She was supposed to hook up with me for the summer, but decided to take off on her own with friends she'd run into in Paris.  She didn't contact us at all and my uncle Tom Lyle, insisted my dad call the American Embassy and send out a search party.  She finally surfaced after driving us to the brink of fearing the worst.  She'd been shopping all over Paris and London and came home with a suitcase full of the latest 70's fashions.  Looking like a Vogue model, and living in Los Angeles she hoped to break into the film industry someday. 

Sharrie, Tom Lyle, Donna, 1972.

Unk Ile, called my dad and said he wanted to make sure Donna was home safe, so, invited us up for the day.  He was so happy to see my sister, that he hugged her so tight, he thought he broke a rib.  With the same wonderful sense of humor, he was known for, he joked about how funny it would sound to his doctor, when he explained he cracked a rib hugging his niece. 

The Hay Day for the Williams cousins was just beginning as we all came of age in the 1970's.  The quest  to live out our fantasies was in constant conflict with our parents expectations -

and like by dad always said, "I live by the Golden Rule -  The guy who has the gold rules."

Be sure to get your signed copy of The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.
Thank you for following my Maybelline Blog and reading about my American - Dream Family.

Stay tuned tomorrow for pictures and stories about my cousin Chuck Williams, The Beach Boys and his friendship with Mike Love, that began in 1970.  His dream is still playing out today!!!

WHAT HAPPENED TO Tom Lyle Williams, sister in law, Evelyn Williams.

Nana on her 70th Birthday, in 1971, a power to be reckoned with!!

Still beautiful, commanding and rich at 70, her life is about to take a course that leads to a lethal dose of vanity.  You must read the Maybelline Story to find out what happend to Nana.  From this point on I can't reveal the ending of the book, but I can tell you one thing.  She didn't deserve it!!!

Tom Lyle Williams watches his family spend, spend, spend!

So what did Tom Lyle think of the way his family spent the money he gave them? 

Here he is in Montecito, California, visiting his nephew, Noel A. and Jean Williams at the Maybeck estate in 1970.  It must have been bitter sweet for him seeing his niece's and nephew's expand so quickly, after he himself  lived modestly, to preserve a fortune he hoped would last for many generations.

 

Stay tuned this week as the 1970's unfold, and decide for yourself if Tom Lyle was pleased or disappointed the       way things went, as he,the Godfather of the family, watched things unfold from his estate in Bel Air. 

Want to know what really happened?   You will be             stunned!!  Get your singed copy of The Maybelline Story  today at www.maybellinestory.com.

 Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!!!!!