Faye Williams in Masters Games Hall of Fame
Oliver Faye Williams, “Mr. Faye” as he was known, became one of the greatest assets the Wedowee Senior Center has ever had. He was honored posthumously with induction into the State of Alabama Masters Games Hall of Fame for his enthusiasm for the games and his encouragement of others to be active and participate.
“Mr. Faye” joined the Congregate of Wedowee Center in December 2009. He and his wife had been homebound since early 2008. He talked to everyone he met about our center and “how it gave him the will to go on” after his wife passed. He was most active and led the way to play dominoes every day in the center.
He was very active in Masters Games competition and participated in every sport offered. He won 42 medals in a period of the five years he participated in the games, and he convinced many other people to participate. He often said he won some of them because no one else was old enough to play in his age group.
He was the one to say, “We haven’t had any fried green tomatoes lately, so we better plan a dinner out at our favorite restaurant” –The Green Tomato in LaGrange, Ga., which is about one hour from Wedowee.
Sadly, he passed away on April 24, 2015 after a brief illness. At his funeral the pastor said he loved three things: God, family and the senior center. We would laugh and say this was the only place that “old fools” were allowed to come and be themselves. Get a good laugh and have fun. The food was secondary to him because interaction with the other congregate clients was what he looked forward to.
“Mr. Faye” was my greatest mentor. When we went to the district games this year almost everyone asked bout him and said he would be missed.
The Masters Games, the Olympic-style games for seniors in Alabama, honored Faye Williams with induction into its hall of fame. Doug Williams accepted the award for his late father from Cindy Williams (left), president of the Masters Games of Alabama. With them are Elaine Blake, Wedowee Senior Center manager, and Cooter Williams, executive board member for District 6.
