HALIFAX — Michael F. Williams, a prominent figure and educator in the community, was honored with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine award Monday evening.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine has been awarded by North Carolina governors since 1963 to those who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.

During a Halifax County Board of Commissioners work session meeting, Rep. Michael Wray (D-27) presented the award to Williams.

“Throughout my journey in the General Assembly, we do a lot of good things, and one of the most promising and fulfilling things to me has been to help constituents,” Wray said. “And that’s what it’s about. You don’t do it for the money — you do it for the love, and you do it to help your communities — make it a better place than what you found it. And so, throughout my journey, we have done some things, and tonight, it’s an honor and a privilege for me to be here to present an award tonight to Dr. Williams.”

Born and raised in Halifax County, Williams graduated from Littleton High School in 1963 and continued his education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an undergraduate.

In 1967, Williams began his career as a mathematics teacher at Roanoke Rapids High School and later served as principal for high school and elementary. He would then preside over three state school systems until retiring as Alamance-Burlington School System’s superintendent in 1999 after 32 years of full-time service and returning to live in Roanoke Rapids.

Wray reminisced his experience with Williams and his wife of 56 years, Sandra, saying that they truly have a love story.

“You’ve been nothing but a gentleman throughout — hell, since I’ve known you — since I was a little boy,” he said. “You’ve been nothing but honor and integrity. You raised a beautiful family. You have beautiful grandchildren. One thing about Dr. Michael Williams — he’s still doing what he loves to do. He’s still helping the children. And every time he’s been called to do things, he’s stepped up.”

Since 1999, Williams continued his service in various educational capacities, part-time mentoring principals of low-performing and noteworthy high and middle schools, as well as a liaison between the College Foundation of NC and school districts and interim superintendent of Orange County Schools. Williams worked for the University of North Carolina General Administration from 2003 until 2018 and served as director of the NC Principal Fellows Program and NC QUEST, coordinator of Professional Development, executive director of the UNC Center for School Leadership Development and special assistant to the UNC Vice-President for Academic Planning and University-School Programs.

Williams was also integral during that time as he served on a team that developed the NC School Board Association’s Master Board Training program and then went forth to teach Master Board Training modules to school boards in three North Carolina school districts.

In 2009, Williams ran for a seat on the Board of Trustees of the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District and won his first six-year term. He is now serving his third term as chairman.

According to his biography letter, “During his three ‘campaigns’ for a seat on the board, Dr. Williams never ran a political ad nor put out any yard signs, yet he has consistently been a top vote-getter in each election.”

Williams served as lead on the board’s finance committee, attended North Carolina School Boards Association conferences and training opportunities, as well as being a recipient of the Master Board training he assisted in developing.

His biography letter reads that Williams supported local efforts to attract, support and retain school staff and worked with state and county officials to improve and build new school facilities. Additionally, throughout his board position, Williams has declined receipt of all compensation and requested that the funds go toward supporting teachers.

Williams was appointed and serves on the North Carolina School Boards Trust Board of Trustees. In 2019, Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Williams to the Halifax Community College Board of Trustees and he served the last two years of his term as chairman before recently finishing his term.

Wray said HCC was experiencing trying times, and the governor was looking for someone to assist the college. He said he recommended Williams to the governor and underscored the community college as a pillar in the community. Wray praised Williams for his integrity and not adhering to a buddy system when it came to issues pertaining to the college Board of Trustees.

“He’s always been fair,” he said.

Wray said that his office submitted the request to the governor’s office to honor Williams with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, in addition to many other letters of recommendation.

“I’ve given them out to a lot of people and I’ve even given them to some people that I really didn’t think they deserved,” he said.

Wray told Williams that he has witnessed his service to the community and school systems, including in his current capacity as Littleton Academy’s superintendent.

“You truly are a man that went from education and stayed in education and kept your eye on the prize, and the prize was the children, and making sure you had resources there for the teachers, and everybody worked with the school system,” he said. “And so, Dr. Williams it’s an honor and a privilege to present this to you.”

Commissioner Carolyn Johnson congratulated Williams and provided remarks, as the two had served as superintendents together at one point.

“We attended meetings together, and we formed a real friendship,” Johnson said. “And as I told your son just a few minutes ago, you are a very special person, and I believe that from the bottom of my heart.”

The commissioner also gave credit to his wife Sandra who was sitting in the audience with the rest of the family.

Commissioner and Vice Chairwoman Linda Brewer said she had served on the RRGSD Board of Trustees when Williams was hired. Brewer said she knew of Williams through his wife.

“There is no one that I know that has done any more for education in this county then you have,” she said. “For me, it has been a journey because I also served on the community college with him, and he truly has the children at heart. It’s not about personal opinions. It’s about what can we do to make this right for the children and not just one group of children but all children. Very much deserved — I was glad to be involved with this.”

Commissioner John Smith also served with Williams on the HCC Board of Trustees and commended him for being a man of great honor and integrity, as well as one who helped him out.

“There were some times just things I didn’t understand he would pull me aside and after the meeting we would talk about it and he clarified things for me,” Smith said. “And I really appreciate him for that and certainly I don’t think anyone is any more deserving of this than you are Mr. Williams. God bless you.”

Commissioner Chenoa Richardson Davis said she did not have the opportunity to work with Williams, but they shared some commonalities as she was an educator and committed to the children.

“I appreciate you being willing to commit to that,” Davis said.

Commission and Chairman Vernon J. Bryant said Williams had done a lot in education in various capacities. Bryant echoed Wray’s credit to Williams for his service on the college’s Board of Trustees in light of the passing of HCC’s president, Michael Elam, and for navigating the hiring process for a new president.

“You’re just an incredible man,” he said. “I have a great deal of respect for you.”

After remarks from officials, Williams thanked everyone for the recognition.

“I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “I don’t do what I do for recognition. I do what I do for service. And for that to be recognized overwhelms me, and that’s sometimes a little difficult for me to handle.”

Williams said that anything he may have done or accomplished in his professional career had been done while standing on the shoulders of giants. He recollected people who gave him his first teaching job and administrative position, including three school boards that afforded him the opportunity to serve as superintendent in their school system. Williams thanked Wray and Gov. Cooper for the opportunity to serve on HCC’s Board of Trustees, as well as the voters who elected him three times to RRGSD’s Board of Trustees.

“But the biggest hats off professionally goes to the teachers and the staff that work in our schools and the parents that want good things for their children to happen,” he said. “That’s the strength — that’s the base of what we do in the schools, and I acknowledge and express my deep appreciation to those people for all that they do every day down in the trenches working with kids.”

Williams said he could not have done all that he has done without his family.

“But I need to say this — I have never met a challenge or never been given an opportunity that I was not seen through and accompanied by my God, and my savior Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit,” he said. “Whenever a door got closed, a window got opened. Whenever a challenge arose, I found the will, the way and the resources to meet that challenge. And whenever an opportunity arose, I was given the wisdom and the courage and the strength to take advantage of that opportunity. And that’s all due to my God, my Jesus and the Holy Spirit.”

Williams received a standing ovation from officials and those in attendance afterward.