Devoted Pirate fan, university advocate Marie Williams has died
Marie ’53 and Walter ’51 ’55 Williams’ names are known at East Carolina University for their longtime loyalty, dedication and devotion to each other and to their alma mater. Marie Williams died June 4. She was 93.
When Marie was honored in 2006 as an outstanding alumna of the College of Education, she wrote that two of her greatest accomplishments were being “happily married for 53 years to the same guy” and being able to support and serve her university. Those who knew her saw her live those accomplishments, always by Walter’s side and advocating for ECU.
Marie Williams, participating in ECU’s 2010 homecoming parade, was one of the university’s most loyal advocates and benefactors. She and her late husband Walter were champions of ECU programs across campus and gave more than $6 million to the university. (Photo by Cliff Hollis)
Marie served on the advancement board and other committees in the College of Education and was a longtime volunteer in the community, serving others through Meals on Wheels and the Salvation Army. In 2000 she received the ECU Alumni Association President’s Award for Lifetime Distinguished Service.
The Williamses were champions of ECU programs across campus and gave more than $6 million to the university. They were loyal Pirate Club members for decades. Walter served as the executive president from 1997 to 1998 and was director emeritus until his death in 2018. He also served on the university’s board of trustees from 1995-1999.
In 2014, the couple established an endowment to fund the STEPP program, aimed at supporting students with learning disabilities. Marie was loved by staff and students in the STEPP program, said Dr. Sarah Williams, executive director of the Office for Faculty Excellence and former director of the STEPP program.
“Marie’s support of the STEPP program went well beyond financial (gifts). She visited with students during community building events, celebrations and orientation activities and was always ready with a smile or word of encouragement,” Sarah Williams said. “We will forever be grateful for the impact she had for so many student Pirates.”
Because of the Williams’ gifts, the program provides students with individualized, comprehensive academic support as they pursue their degrees, said Adam Denney, director of STEPP.
“Marie and her husband, Walter, played a crucial role in supporting the mission of the STEPP program at East Carolina University, both philanthropically and by increasing its visibility,” Denny said. “We extend our deepest gratitude on behalf of every individual they’ve touched with their generosity and genuine belief in this work.”
Among their many gifts supporting ECU students, the Williamses established the Walter and Marie Williams Endowment for scholarships in the College of Health and Human Performance and two endowments that annually provide scholarships to support basketball players.
Notable donations from the Williams family include providing the Pirate Club with its first $1 million gift in 1993, which went toward renovating Minges Coliseum. As a result, the basketball arena was rededicated as Williams Arena in their honor. The Williams-Harvey Teams Building and the Smith-Williams Center (Hall of Fame) also bear their name. They made a $1 million leadership commitment to support the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation Campaign.
The Williams Jungle at Clark-LeClair Stadium and the Walter and Marie indoor hitting facility also bear their name.
“You can see around the campus what Walter and Marie did for this university,” said Matt Maloney, assistant athletic director for major gifts with the Pirate Club. “You almost cannot comprehend where this university would be without them.”
When reflecting on the Williamses, Maloney immediately thought of the NCAA baseball regional at ECU.
“Walter and Marie would have been the first ones there and the last ones to leave. They would have loved the atmosphere and the team,” he said.
Maloney described the couple as a huge influence on ECU and the university’s staff and students. Maloney said in addition to supporting the university financially, they also frequently went on Pirate Club calls and Walter led numerous campaigns for ECU Athletics.
“Marie was such a part of Walter’s participation and support of ECU,” Maloney said. “If you needed to know who to follow or how to be, you looked to Marie and Walter Williams. They made you better people and better Pirates.”
The Walter and Marie Williams “Spirit of the East Scholarship Award,” created by the couple, is given annually to a student athlete who demonstrates outstanding commitment to the spirit of ECU. Maloney said the award presentation provides a great opportunity for him to share stories about the Williamses and their commitment to ECU.
“When it came to any ECU athletic event, they were always there,” Maloney said. “You could always hear Marie yelling at the officials. It was always fun to hear Marie and to watch them together at Pirate events.”
Maloney said the couple would always be the last to leave a game because they wanted to give the coach a word of encouragement, hug the players and acknowledge their efforts.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Walter and Marie Williams STEPP Program at ECU, 1000 E. Fifth St., Mail Box 516, Greenville, NC, 27858, or The ECU Educational Foundation, 304 Ward Sports Medicine Building, Mail Stop 158, ECU, Greenville, NC, 27858.