UNC honors alum Williams
Dec. 28—A longtime University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill alum, one still very active in his fandom at 105 years old, recently received a visit at his Clinton home from some university leaders, who read a proclamation in honor of the man and his longevity and presented the UNC stalwart with some early Christmas gifts.
The visit to the home of George Williams was one that was planned for some time, at the behest of local resident and member of the UNC-Board of Trustees Allie Ray McCullen. He, along with Garrett Strickland, Shurley Ray McCullen Weddle and Dickie Smith — all three are on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Visitors — visited Williams last week at his Coharie Country Club residence to present a framed proclamation and a gift bag full of UNC swag, including a hat and a shirt.
Weddle read the proclamation to Williams, who was flanked by wife Linda Williams and daughter Venetia Mann. Although his hearing isn't what it once was, Williams still remains sharp, thanking the company for their kindness and sharing his gratitude to McCullen, thanking him and others.
"I really appreciate it Allie Ray," said Williams.
"You deserve it," McCullen shot back, noting that Williams was believed to be the second-oldest alum by a hair.
Williams grew up in Clinton, where he graduated from high school in 1934 before going off to college at UNC-Chapel Hill. To this day, he remains a diehard UNC fan. A Coharie Country Club mogul and lifelong golfing enthusiast, Williams celebrated his 105th birthday earlier this year.
A 20-time Coharie Country Club champion and winner of a plethora of tournaments and invitationals in and out of North Carolina, the Sampson County Sports Hall of Famer is a decorated soldier, attorney and civic leader.
"He is one of the last Southern gentlemen, and one of the best sportsmen and gentlemen I've ever known," said Mann on the eve of her father's 105tth birthday, which he celebrated on Aug. 29, 2022. "His mind is sharper than ever."
He has been a member since 1948, the year after the club opened. His home was one of the first on the grounds.
In his life, Williams has won so many golf tournaments there is barely enough room on the shelves, walls and cabinets around the Williams' home to accommodate the trophies, plaques, clocks and other trinkets bestowed to him. He played in the Carolinas-Virginia tournament — representing the Carolinas team — in which top golfers from North Carolina and South Carolina face off against those from Virginia and West Virginia.
When he was 75, he won the Jacksonville Invitational Tournament. When he was 80, he shot a career-low 65 at Coharie. Williams played the course at Coharie for more than 70 years, dating back to when it was a 9-hole course that had to be played through twice for an 18-hole score. There is now an invitational tournament in his name held each year at the course.
Clinton Mayor Lew Starling presented Williams with the Key to the City during the 70th anniversary ceremony, an honor only a select few have ever received.
He was in the U.S. Navy for six years during World War II, serving on several different ships. He captained a Patrol Coastal (PC) ship in the South Pacific and in the early 1940s. He enlisted in the service in the fall of 1940 and enrolled in the V7 program, which is officer training.
Williams went to the United States Navy Reserve Midshipmen's School at Northwestern University in Chicago. Midshipmen's schools were established on college campuses around the country starting in June 1940 to train tens of thousands of Naval officers in preparation for WWII. According to Williams, he was there for about four months in school and then he was commissioned. From there, he had a varied career in the Navy and was released from active duty and returned home in December of 1945.
He was 28 years old when he got out of the Navy, and went into law school, again at UNC-Chapel Hill. He was in his early 30s when he began practicing law in Clinton. His older brother John Blaney Williams Jr. was an attorney, and he began practicing with him.
Williams is the second youngest of John Blaney and Effie Britt Williams' nine children and the only one still living. His father served as the Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds for Sampson County.
Williams was a lawyer for 52 years, retiring at the end of 1999 at the age of 82.
"I just figured it was time to quit. The computer age was coming in," he conceded with a laugh during a 2017 interview with the SI. "I figured 52 years was long enough."
Williams served on the Clinton City Board of Education for 10 years during the height of integration. He was also on the board of directors for Sampson-Duplin Mental Health and United Carolina Bank as well as on the Campbell University Presidential Board of Advisors and the Morehead Scholarship Selection Committee at UNC-Chapel Hill. He taught Sunday School for many years at First United Methodist in Clinton, where he is a lifelong member.
Williams is married to Linda, his wife of 48 years. They have two children between them, a son, Chip of Columbia, S.C., and a daughter, Venetia Mann, a teacher.
During the brief visit with Williams last week, McCullen also shared well-wishes from UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz, and said he hopes to return at the beginning of 2023 with the chancellor so that the UNC leader can visit with Williams as well.
Williams pledged to wear the new UNC garb for that night's game against the Michigan Wolverines, an eventual 80-76 win for the home team Tar Heels.
Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.
