Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Harrisburg Town Council: Bill Williams- Independent
For Bill Williams, life didn’t slow down after retirement. If anything, he found himself getting invovled more in his church and community.
Williams, 63, was born and reared in Harrisburg, where his mother, herself originally from Harrisburg, and father, a Davidson County native, were both school teachers.
As such, education was always an important part of Williams’ life.
It was only fitting that after graduating from Harrisburg High School in 1962, Williams left Cabarrus County to continue his education at Appalachian State University.
It wasn’t long before Williams returned home to continue his parent’s legacy as an educator. He worked as a teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system at Myers Park and Garinger High Schools. He retired in 1996. Today, his daughter, Joy, has also dedicated herself to teaching and works with children at Harrisburg Elementary School.
In retirement, Williams tried his hand at entreprenuership when he and his brother-in-law opened the Firelight Inn, a fine-dining resaturant in what is now the Captain’s Galley building.
“We did that for 12 years,” Williams recalled. “We had a Sunday buffet that was well-attended.”
When the time came, the brothers sold the business, but Williams continued his active lifestyle, as he joined the Lion’s Club, served on the Harrisburg Town Council, and as an elder and current board member on the board of Covenant Church of Harrisburg.
When asked what he does on the rare occaison that he leaves Harrisburg in search of relaxation, the answer came quickly.
“We’ve got a cabin in the mountains,” he said. “I love to go up there and relax. I love to play Bridge. That’s probably my passion. I (used to) go to Concord and Albermarle to play Bridge.”
Charles Efird, a former pastor at Covenant Church, said Williams’ years of service to the community through his various postions are a testament to his passion for the community and his desire to continue to serve its people.
“He grew up in Harrisburg,” Efird said. “He’s definitely got a heart for it. I’m convinced he’s proved himself have served on the council for a number of years. I believe he would like to bring to fruition a number of things he’s started.”
-Johnathan E. Coleman