Smyrna man excelled in military, education leadership

Service was more than a word for Dr. Johnny Williams. It was a way of life.

Williams, who died recently in Smyrna, was a former director of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology and a vice president at Columbia State Community College after retiring from the Air Force as a lt. colonel.

The native of Belfast, Tennessee, in Marshall County, was described by his wife of 57 years, Coralee, as a “keeper.”

“He was a caring person, a person that was willing to help everyone and anyone, even if it took his resources. He was one that felt like especially young people needed to have advice and something to make them succeed,” she said.

Williams joined the Air Force after graduating college and served in several positions, including flying many missions for the Strategic Air Command’s Airborne Command Post.

Henry Carriger, who served in the Air Force with Williams, said Williams’ work with the SAC helped to deter the United States from a nuclear war as a missile crew member. According to Carriger, Williams was one of the two people who controlled the launch keys to all 1,000 of the U.S. armed Minuteman nuclear missiles at the time.

Despite such awesome responsibilities, Carriger said Williams was easy to be around and made many friends.

“When doing his job working with nuclear weapons, Johnny was very serious and meticulous. When not working at something related to nuclear weapons, Johnny was relaxed, funny and easy-going,” Carriger said.

“He was comfortable making fun of himself.  He was a uniter.  A family man. He was proud of his family.  He was proud of his brothers and sisters and their families.”

Carriger said Williams retired from the military in 1988 and kept in touch with his Air Force colleagues for the rest of his life. After Williams left the military he was recruited to join the administration at Columbia State. Dr. Rebecca Hawkins, who was president during Williams’ time there, said he always addressed her as “Boss,” never as “Dr. Hawkins” or by her first name.

“He had the rare combination of dignity and seriousness and capable management skills, as well as being jovial and funny and keeping things light when they needed to be light and serious when they needed to be serious,” said Hawkins. “Everybody loved Johnny Williams. He was a real people person.”

Nancy Steele was assistant director during Williams’ time at TCAT.

“He was a man that you saw immediately as one that was honest and had integrity and just led by example. He was a kind, very personable person, and loved life. He loved people,” she said. “The thing that he was great about was helping students. He was a real supporter of technical education.”

Williams’ daughter Kimberly Williams Randolph said that her father helped a coworker purchase a car about 10 years ago. The young woman was starting her career and wasn’t taken seriously when she visited dealerships.

“Do you know my dad went car shopping with her, and they ended up going all the way, I think, to Alabama or someplace, and they ended up getting her a car? And she still has that car until this day, and that’s probably been, I would say, almost 10 years ago,” said Randolph.

His family and friends agree that Williams probably didn’t realize how many lives in which he made a difference because helping others was his nature.

“Service was just Johnny,” Coralee Williams said.