She developed her passions early in life: nature, animals, reading, writing, music, faith, and friendship. One niece remembers that an older Naomi became both mentor and storyteller to younger relatives. When the niece was to be married in a church without an organ, Naomi proceeded to the local funeral home to borrow an organ for a “proper wedding.” Besides a love of classical music, nature was her delight from youth. Trips to the mountains and through the countryside, mostly in pursuit of peach stands, evolved into a green thumb, spawning a lush garden wherever she lived. Her love of animals centered on her dogs, whom she considered not only good company but also intellectual partners. Skeptical friends were treated to canine renditions of the Hallelujah Chorus and the grammatical differences between lie and lay. One student recalls her own dog knew just what time she’d be in Naomi’s class. Other teachers would reject the dog, but Naomi would say, “Go to the nearest door and let the dog in!” Puck, Ariel, Betsy, Prince Hamlet, and Phoenix were her children.
A graduate of Columbia College in South Carolina, Naomi credited her father — a farmer, store owner, and Baptist preacher — as the primary influence in her decision to teach.

A student from early in Miss William’s career credits her with “teaching me the king’s English and giving me an appreciation not only for language, but also for all the arts. Now, she is probably trying to teach the angels how to diagram.” A student from her final class, who cites Naomi as the inspiration for his becoming a college professor, says, “It is perhaps the greatest irony that words cannot say enough about a teacher who dedicated herself to words. I hope that I can become half as important in the lives of my own students.” Judy Woodruff, executive producer and anchor of the PBS News Hour, offered a summation of the memories of most of her students: “How could one teacher have touched the lives of so many when we were at an impressionable age?”

She never failed to ask former students — and anyone she met — what they were reading.  “As much as she loved reading, though, she loved writing, creating characters and being free to explore her own story,” relates Father Trout, Naomi’s friend and priest at St. Luke’s Anglican Church. Naomi authored and published four novels, all after her retirement from teaching, and initiated at Brandonwilde the Literary Revels, a series of guest speakers and actors introducing studies of poetry, the history of film, and scenes from Shakespeare, to name a few. At St. Luke’s, where she was the last living founding member, she taught Sunday School classes, her energetic presentations noted for their depth of research and thoughtful discussion. A “proud, contented, and active” member of her congregation, she donated a portrait of St. Luke, to hang in the sanctuary, in honor of her father.

Friends at Brandonwilde recall Naomi’s love of cooking and frequent evenings of good food, drink, and literary discussions in her apartment. While at Brandonwilde, she chaired the Beebe Educational Endowment Committee, which offers gifts of up to $5000 to staff and team members to achieve their educational goals.  In the newsletter, The Wilde Times, she also wrote biographies of the newest Shining Stars, employees honored for their dedicated and appreciated service.
While her professional influence and accomplishments were a hallmark of her life, Naomi held steadfast in her last days to what mattered most to her in the ordinary moments of experience: intellectual curiosity, profound faith, and fierce independence. “Nothing in her life became her like the leaving of it.” (Macbeth) Hers was a life well-lived and well-loved.

K.S.Hammond, ’65, lives in Egypt and is a writer

My memory is that she had a fetish for popping balloons ??❣️I was definitely influenced by her persona and teaching skills, as well as other excellent teachers: 
J Marshall, MH McGinty, R McAuliffe, E Otwell, W Overstreet, just to name a few. Thank God for excellent teachers who mold and stimulate the hunger that some students have for knowledge. Now a retired educator, I cherish the interactions I had with students as a teacher (English, Latin & German), counselor, and administrator. My focus as an administrator was always to help students first, then teachers – who are so abused in our public system today. Too many school administrators are former coaches who focus on athletics…there’s an opening for debate! Happy Easter to you Musketeers who keep the faith?

  “Miss Williams” was a treasure.  She was not only a great English teacher, at Langford to so many of us, but she got me started in public speaking and  oratory, as my outside Coach when I entered and won the Optimist Oratorical Contest in the early 1960’s “Optimism, Ingredient for true Leadership”.  This was a  precursor to becoming, in my earlier practice, a lawyer trying cases as Assistant District Attorney,  before juries, in the Richmond/Columbia/Burke County Superior Courts in the early 1980’s, before later moving to Atlanta , and then Washington in the late 1980’s, to become an international lawyer.  Many happy memories, regarding Miss Williams…Thanks, Cynthia, for letting us know about the passing of our beloved teacher, who was larger than life.
  Really continue to appreciate all of your communications, keeping all of us in touch with Richmond Academy in your wonderful “On, on ARC” emails.  Particularly, during current times, for those of us now a long way from Augusta, it is good to hear from hometown roots.  Thanks for all of your work in keeping in touch.

Cynthia, I’m so sad to read this and overwhelmed with memories. How could one teacher have touched the lives of so many when we were at such an impressionable age? Because she was Naomi Williams.  I remember being scared of her and in awe at the same time:  shaking with fright as I stood to try to recite from memory one of Shakespeare’s sonnets or scenes from Hamlet. Her quick, scolding interruption to point out what I’d gotten wrong or left out completely.  She opened my eyes to great literature and drama, taught me to care about words and writing and by daring, helped me begin to overcome a lack of self-confidence. I can see her standing there, stylish dress with high heels, pearl earrings and beautifully coiffed black hair, looking at each of us with her piercing eyes. So hard to realize she was only 31 when I first walked into her 8th grade English class – the most memorable teacher I’ve ever had.  My thoughts are with her family and close friends.

I attended Langford Junior High in the late 50’s. Naomi Williams was my English teacher all 3 years that I was there. She was one of my favorite teachers. I loved being challenged to excel. She was hard but always fair and we knew she cared. I loved diagramming sentences. And every year we studied a different Shakespeare play. I think we had to memorize at least one soliloquy each year. She also challenged me to do creative writing. I still have a play I wrote one of those years. In 1967 I found myself teaching High School English in a rural community. I had just graduated in 1965 with a BS degree in Music Education and had taught music in Dekalb county for a year and a half. I was way out of my comfort zone but relied heavily on all that I had learned from Ms Williams and Ms Braddy at ARC. What wonderful memories we all have of those days so long ago.

  My two top memories are of assignments.  Have we forgotten the thirty Greek myths she had us read for homework, then questioned us in front of the class for details?   I think not.  I had a decent memory of those myths for many years to come!
  Next, a writing assignment.: a short story with a familiar setting and characters.  Well, I chose Mexico.  The familiar was about a girl, what she did, said and ate.  I wanted to write about something romantic and exotic!   Miss Williams was kind enough afterwards in the evaluation at her desk to commend me for the research I must have done.  She did not chastise, except to give it a C.
  In his tribute, Thomas Mobley solved a mystery for me.  Now I know why Miss Williams  always called my sister Frissy “Harriet”,  though no one else did, not even our parents.  By the way, Frissy was another of Miss Williams’ pets, so that was a blessing for me who followed two years behind.
  Don’t we all remember with admiration how she could raise one eyebrow and give that all knowing look?  ( I practiced that at home to no avail.). To Miss Williams!!   How deserving she is of praise!  May her memory be eternal!

I remember her particularly appreciating Lyn Maxwell because Lyn did everything to near perfection. OTOH, Miss Williams was quick to applaud anybody’s work if it showed real effort and/or creativity. I still feel a sense of accomplishment and warmth when I recall her telling me once that I had written something in class that was worthwhile and reading it to the class – I can close my eyes and see her buck-tooth smile and exposed upper gum when she read it. Now that I’m remembering, I also remember a homework paper she liked. Common between them was I picked something that had a strong emotional tie. While her class was the beginning and the ending of any creative writing I ever did, that experience still affects me.

I had Miss Williams for two years of the most instructive and beneficial terror of my entire school career. She instilled in me a love of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, New York Times crossword puzzles, and puns that continue to enrich my life. She was a real piece of work, and I mourn her passing.

I had Miss Williams for two years of the most instructive and beneficial terror of my entire school career. She instilled in me a love of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, New York Times crossword puzzles, and puns that continue to enrich my life. She was a real piece of work, and I mourn her passing.

I remember writing a paper for Miss Williams and had spent hours perfecting it. I am pretty sure it was a reflection paper on either As You Like It or Romeo and Juliet. I was devastated when the paper was returned with a grade of C. I did not do C work! I remember getting up the nerve to approach her after class to ask why my grade was a C. She stared at me and said “Miss May, I know what the scholars think about this piece of work. I wanted to know what YOU thought.” That was the first time I realized that my opinions and thoughts as a writer mattered. She allowed me to resubmit the paper which she then graded again and that version was an A paper. The grade that was recorded in her grade book was an average of the two – a B – one of the most cherished B’s I received. In 2002, I received an autographed copy of her novel Two Rivers as a birthday gift, which I still have and treasure. I went on to become both a teacher and a writer and know that Miss Williams played a part in those career choices. Those were special days and special times…