Melvin Williams, a longtime member of the RSU 40 Board of Directors, died on Sunday, May 17. Williams, who was first elected to the board in 2017, was seeking reelection and will appear on the June 9 ballot. (LCN file)
RSU 40 and the town of Waldoboro announced on Monday, May 18 that Melvin Williams, a longtime member of the district’s board of directors, had died suddenly on Sunday, May 17.
In a joint statement, RSU 40 Board of Directors Chair Danny Jackson, Vice Chair Rick Butler, and interim Superintendent Thomas J. Ambrose remembered Williams as a “dedicated board member” who not only went to many committee meetings but also attended students’ concerts and events in the district.
“We thank Melvin for his service to RSU 40 and our thoughts are with his wife, Carol, his many friends, fellow farmers and the students who worked on his farm over the years,” Jackson, Butler, and Ambrose said.
Williams was seeking a return to the board in the upcoming election on Tuesday, June 9. The town posted a notice on social media stating his name would be appearing on the printed ballot, as his death occurred after the legal deadline for reprinting the election material. However, no votes cast for him would be counted.
There are three candidates – Robert Smith, Seth Hall, and Sonja Sleeper – seeking the two seats, both of which carry three-year terms.
Williams grew up in Thomaston and graduated from Georges Valley High School, now Oceanside Middle School, in 1971. He wanted to be a dairy farmer from the time he was five, and at 20 purchased a farm on Friendship Road in Waldoboro to make that a reality.
He ran a commercial dairy farm for more than 30 years, starting with just 10 cows. At its peak operation, his farm had 100 cattle, with 40 of those for dairy production.
Williams invited many students to the farm where he taught them farming, how to drive a tractor and care for animals, and how to have a good work ethic, district officials said.
“As one student who worked on his farm put it, ‘I wasn’t done learning and he wasn’t done teaching,’” Jackson, Butler, and Ambrose said in their joint statement.
Over the years, Williams’ health declined due to complications from diabetes, resulting in the amputation of first one leg, then the other.
“He didn’t let the fact of being a double amputee or a diabetic slow him down,” Jackson, Butler, and Ambrose said. “He always maintained a positive attitude and when asked how he was, he often replied ‘On top of the world.’”
For many years Williams worked with the Maine Farm Bureau, where he was a director for Knox and Lincoln counties and facilitated legislation in Augusta that benefited farmers.
Williams was a candidate for local offices several times through the years, including bids for Lincoln County commissioner in District 2, the former House District 91, and the Waldoboro Select Board. He won a seat on the RSU 40 Board of Directors in 2017.
Williams was also active in the Lincoln County Republican Committee, serving as vice chair and becoming chair in 2018 when Joe Grant stepped down from the position.
Grant said it made him really sad to hear of Williams’ death.
“We lost a good one,” Grant said. “I had tremendous respect for Melvin.”
He said Williams was a testament to what a person could still do and achieve after losing both legs. There were not enough nice things to say about Williams, he added.
“It’s a tragedy,” said Waldoboro Select Board member Abden Simmons. “He was very outspoken and involved. He will be missed.”
Waldoboro Select Board Chair John Blodgett said Williams was someone one did not forget and was not afraid to speak his mind. Even though they had different views, Blodgett said he knew Williams’ cared a lot about the children of the district.
“His heart was with the kids and the people of RSU 40,” he said. “He will be missed by many.”
