A Tribute to Roy Williams by Mike Walsh
In the early morning hours of March 11, 2023, Sullivan’s Island lost a true living treasure, Roy Williams. Roy died at Mt. Pleasant Hospital after having been in and out of the hospital for several months. With Roy’s passing goes an irreplaceable trove of island history. On many an island bookshelf sits Roy’s monograph, Sullivan’s Island, one of the Images of America series published by Acadia Press. In it Roy faithfully detailed in pictures and in words most of the island’s unique homes and other buildings. His book is still used today as a reference for many of our historic homes that have since disappeared.
Roy was a tremendous friend and supporter of Battery Gadsden Cultural Center. He donated the royalties from his book for the benefit of BGCC. Some years ago he graciously agreed to be our official historical consultant. Those lucky enough to have taken part will remember the trolly tours when Roy took groups around the island narrating the histories of our historic homes. Every tour was sold out! I smile when I recall that we had to assign someone to tug on Roy’s pant leg when it was time to move on to the next house, because Roy could have talked for hours on each one of them. When we decided to make a video version of the tour, Roy worked for hours both in front of the camera and in the studio doing the narration for what became Architectural Gems of Sullivan’s Island. When we began an oral history project, who did we use as our first interviewee, guinea pig if you wish. Of course Roy, talking about life on Sullivan’s Island during World War II, an interview that can still be seen on the Low Country Digital Library website. Despite all we owed Roy for his dedication and efforts on our behalf, nothing would do but his becoming an official member of BGCC, insisting on paying dues every year. Roy was that kind of guy.
Since they were living in Dillon, SC, at the time, Roy’s parents never expected their son to be born in Charlotte, but on May 19th 1935, as the family was making their way to the North Carolina mountains to escape the South Carolina heat, Roy decided it was time to enter this world, albeit somewhat prematurely. The prematurity proved not to be a problem and Roy was soon back in Dillon, where he lived until he was 2 years old. He also spent a brief period of his childhood in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but no matter where the family lived, there was always the emotional draw back to Sullivan’s Island. After all, the family had been coming to the island since 1815 and Roy’s grandfather had been the first to move here permanently in the late 1920’s. Their roots on the island were deep indeed. Roy spent his first year of school at Sullivan’s Island Elementary School, but by the time he started second grade, World War II had begun, and his father was hired to supervise a special construction project in Charlotte. Living that year in Charlotte Roy became much more aware of the war through scrap metal drives, rationing, and frequent U-boat attacks off the North Carolina coast.
The remainder of Roy’s elementary education was here at Sullivan’s Island Elementary School, followed by high school at what was then Moultrie High. The next year found Roy at Clemson, which at that time was an all-male, military college, complete with uniforms, drill and the ever-present upper classmen. However, the next year Roy won a 4-year ROTC scholarship to the University of South Carolina, so it was off to Columbia. He graduated from there in 1958 with a degree in journalism, a commission in the Navy, and a 3-year commitment to active duty. That active duty was based out of Long Beach, California, where Roy spent 1 year at sea and two years doing staff duty. That assignment was extremely fortunate in another way. While there he met a young lady who had moved from Pennsylvania, Bonnie Ann Williams. Yes, the same last name! The romance bloomed so that when Roy’s active duty commitment was finished in 1961, they married in Houston, where Bonnie’s family was then located. Even though Roy had a job waiting for him back in Charleston, he and Bonnie took off on a one-year’s honeymoon traveling through Europe.
The job was still waiting for him one year later when Roy started work as a journalist for the Post and Courier. Three years later, however, Roy’s interests had shifted, so he returned to the University of South Carolina for a master’s degree in history. Other academic activities on Roy’s resume’ included a fellowship at the University of North Carolina and summers studying at Oxford University, England. He spent about 10 years teaching in Columbia, Darlington and Dillon, before taking his final teaching job at Wando High School, a position he held for 17 years. Along the way he and Bonnie continued their love of travel as well as finding time to renovate historic homes in the Ansonborough district in downtown Charleston. After retirement from teaching in 1997, Roy and Bonnie continued their love of travel until Bonnie’s death in 2019.
I was privileged to have Roy not only as a friend, but also as a neighbor just a few houses away. We spent many hours at one of our homes working on projects, with Roy usually enjoying a cup of coffee. One of my everlasting memories will be visiting Roy last week in the hospital. His heart was failing, but his mind was not. We spent over an hour, talking history of course, with Roy as usual filling in the blanks on historical mysteries I asked him about. It’s a wonderful memory.
There’s one other thing that must be said about Roy Williams. It will come as no surprise to anyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting him. Roy was the epitome of a Southern gentleman. His manners were impeccable. No matter how ill he might have felt, he never failed to ask about your family and how they were doing and what was going on in their lives. I never heard Roy utter a mean word about anyone.
I can see Roy somewhere up above right now, talking with other great historians of the past and comparing notes. Meanwhile he will be missed here. Indeed, the entire island was lucky to have had Roy Williams as a recorder of our history and as an advocate for a way of life that is rapidly disappearing.
Our Historical Consultant, Roy Williams (1935-2023)
(written by Mike Walsh, August 2022)When Battery Gadsden Cultural Center needed a historical consultant, who else would they have turned to other than Roy Williams, for although he’s been many places and done many things, the two constants in his life have been history and Sullivan’s Island. Even though many of you know Roy already, others have not had the pleasure of meeting him in person. And if you do know him, we thought you would enjoy learning more about this remarkable individual.
Since they were living in Dillon, SC, at the time, Roy’s parents never expected their son to be born in Charlotte, but on May 19, 1935, as the family was making their way to the North Carolina mountains to escape the South Carolina heat, Roy decided it was time to enter this world, albeit somewhat prematurely. The prematurity proved not to be a problem and Roy was soon back in Dillon, where he lived until he was 2 years old. He also spent a brief period of his childhood in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, but no matter where the family lived, there was always the emotional draw back to Sullivan’s Island. After all, the family had been coming to the island since 1815 and Roy’s grandfather had been the first to move here permanently in the late 1920’s.
Their roots on the island were deep indeed. Roy spent his first year of school at Sullivan’s Island Elementary School, but by the time he started second grade, World War II had begun, and his father was hired to supervise a special construction project in Charlotte. Living that year in Charlotte, Roy became much more aware of the war through scrap metal drives, rationing, and frequent U-Boat attacks off the North Carolina coast.
One of Roy’s most vivid memories was during that summer after second grade. His father was now working on a hospital ship making the run between Liverpool and New York, but his mother insisted on renting a beach house as the family always did. This house, though, was on a small island accessible only by ferry. With the war on, the military kept up nightly beach patrols. One night young Roy heard the soldiers chase someone across the boardwalk that bordered the house and into the woods behind. He never found out who they were chasing, but the episode was enough to give Roy nightmares about being chased by the Germans. Roy’s mother told him that if that ever happened Roy should just turn around and tell them that he was of German descent. “Your family’s name is von Hadlin. They’re not going to give you any trouble.” Nightmares solved!
Many more of Roy’s recollections of World War II can be enjoyed in his delightful interview done as part of our oral history project housed at the Low Country Digital Library. Please click here and be patient as the page loads slowly.
The remainder of Roy’s elementary education was here at Sullivan’s Island Elementary School, followed by high school at what was then Moultrie High. The next year found Roy at Clemson, which at that time was an all-male, military college, complete with uniforms, drill and the ever-present upper classmen. However, the next year Roy won a 4-year ROTC scholarship to the University of South Carolina, so it was off to Columbia. He graduated from there in 1958 with a degree in journalism, a commission in the Navy, and a 3-year commitment to active duty.
That active duty was based out of Long Beach, California, where Roy spent 1 year at sea and two years doing staff duty. That assignment was extremely fortunate in another way. While there he met a young lady who had moved from Pennsylvania, Bonnie Ann Williams. Yes, the same last name! The romance bloomed so that when Roy’s active duty commitment was finished in 1961, they married in Houston, where Bonnie’s family was then located. Even though Roy had a job waiting for him back in Charleston, he and Bonnie took off on a one-year honeymoon traveling through Europe.
The Charleston job was still waiting for him one year later when Roy started working as a journalist for the Post and Courier. Three years later, however, Roy’s interests had shifted, so he returned to the University of South Carolina for a master’s degree in history. Other academic activities on Roy’s resume included a fellowship at the University of North Carolina and summers studying at Oxford University, England. He spent about 10 years teaching in Columbia, Darlington and Dillon, before taking his final teaching job at Wando High School, a position he held for 17 years.
Along the way he and Bonnie continued their love of travel as well as finding time to renovate historic homes in the Ansonborough district in downtown Charleston. Over the years Roy has written three books, most recently "Rice to Ruin," the story of Jonathan Lucas and the South Carolina rice culture. His first book was "St. James Santee – Plantation Parish," and his second book was "Sullivan’s Island," part of the Images of America series, the royalties from which benefit our Battery Gadsden Cultural Center.
After retirement from teaching in 1997, Roy and Bonnie continued their love of travel until Bonnie’s death in 2019. Roy now spends much of his time reading — historical, non-fiction works, of course — as well as supporting local projects on Sullivan’s Island directed toward preserving the unique historical character of our beautiful island. Battery Gadsden Cultural Center is lucky to have Roy Williams as our historical consultant. Indeed, the entire island is lucky to have Roy Williams as an advocate for a way of life that is rapidly disappearing.
If you or someone you know has “a story to tell” about their or their family's connection to Sullivan's Island, please put them in touch with Battery Gadsden Cultural Center at: batterygadsden@gmail.com