My fond memories of Ted Williams, friend, role model and a great guy all around

I recently had a dream about my college days back at Newberry College, I was in the best hamburger and cheeseburger college hangout joint there ever has been on earth, Dopey’s Cafe. There seated at the counter was myself, Dopey, his son Buzz and Ted Williams among other regulars.

Ted was showing me his latest photographs he had shot around “The Berry” and had a look of joy and animation on his face. But that was Ted, always wanting to show just how special of a place Newberry was and show it the best way he knew how, through his photography.

Today, I was saddened and heartbroken to say the least to learn that he had gone to that great photography studio in the sky.

I hadn’t spoken to him in a while; a great job opportunity took me to the Ohio Valley in 2015 where I am a medical librarian at a hospital, but I would keep in touch as much as I could through social media and wish him Happy Birthday or say hello. Even though I didn’t speak to him everyday, I always remembered what Ted told me and told me often, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” The day I graduated in December 2000, he gave me a writing pen and said: “The pen is mightier than the sword, don’t sweat the small stuff, Hampton.” He knew about my anxiety over small stuff, relationships with girlfriends that were often challenging and also schoolwork and just plain old college life.

To me, as an 18-22 year old, Ted was just plain awesome and cool and I know others he crossed paths with thought the same thing.

The way he could light a cigarette with just a flick of his flip lighter with just one hand and not miss a bat, really just impressed me. The way he ran up and down the sidelines at Setzler Field at Newberry College football games just wowed me. I thought to myself, “I want to really be like Ted.” Ted also had a sense of humor and made me laugh and laugh often. He and I would make regular trips to Walmart together in his pickup truck with a shell on the bed. I would always get a group pack of Juicy Fruit chewing gum and chew it all at once in his truck. Ted said when I did that, it smelled like Toucan Sam threw up in his truck! I laughed so hard that it flew out of my mouth and almost landed on him!

I’m sure if it had, our friendship would have probably been cut way short.

Ted was also a great boyfriend and great father figure to his girlfriend and her daughter. I know that they are missing terribly, right now as well as so many people in Newberry and Newberry County are, right now and will be forever. Ted also reminisced about his times living along the Grand Strand, some place that I felt sure he would return to, one day.

In a way, he reminded me of Ernest Hemingway, in that he loved to read and loved poetry and loved to share his thoughts about the world and everyday life through his own poetry and writings.

Yes, I’m going to miss Ted ALOT, and as I have stated before, every person he met on this earth, but I know he is at peace and in the presence of family and friends, gone before him. Most of all, I know he is getting a request, from the big guy upstairs, himself, to take pictures with his camera of heaven and perhaps, God, himself.

I love you Ted!