Tennessee Williams' brother dead at 89

ST. LOUIS, May 21 (UPI) -- Walter Dakin Williams, a lawyer and younger brother of playwright Tennessee Williams, has died in a Belleville, Ill. nursing home at age 89.

Williams also was an author, politician and amateur actor, who was known to jokingly refer to himself as "a professional brother," given the fame his sibling had garnered, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

"It's very hard to live up to that, but he definitely enjoyed that sort of notoriety he got from it," his daughter, Francesca Williams, told the Post-Dispatch. "I can't say he was the life of the party, but he enjoyed celebrating life with other people."

Williams, a St. Louis native, earned his bachelor's and law degrees from Washington University and was pursuing an MBA at Harvard when he was drafted into service in World War II.

He worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in East St. Louis before he entered private law practice and continued to practice and do pro bono work until he was in his 80s, the Post-Dispatch said.

In addition to his daughter, Williams also is survived by another daughter, Anne Caserta of Delray Beach, Fla.; and two granddaughters.