Carol Williams Honored For Her Service to the District Upon Her Retirement3 min read

Carol Williams, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools, had her last day of work for the Michigan District, LCMS on December 14, 2018. She was honored by District and CEF staff on that day.

Carol is a woman of many talents. She worked as a computer programmer for Electronic Data Systems (EDS) for many years before changing careers and working as a buyer for her husband, who had acquired a business that “sold everything from flowers to pumpkins, produce to mulch, dirt, and evergreen trees; he also had a crew that did landscaping,” she explains. After that, she worked for 16 months at a deli while looking for an office job. She had always regretted that she hadn’t worked for the Church, and so when her husband showed her the announcement for a position at the District office that was posted in their church bulletin, she applied.

She started working the first business day of January, 2010 as administrative assistant to Bruce Braun, who was the Superintendent of Schools. She said, “I told him I could only work here for 8 years because then I was going to retire.” But he retired a year before her and she ended up staying on.

Carol shares that her favorite part of the job was talking with people: “I enjoyed when someone called and asked me for something and I could do something for them. And I always enjoyed when the principals and the early childhood people came in and had meetings—especially the early childhood ones, because they were all women and we got to be close. It was always fun doing conferences with them.”

Travis Grulke, the current Superintendent of Schools, showed appreciation for Carol’s service by means of a fun adaptation of Proverbs 31, which he read during the staff party. Here are some excerpts:

10 An administrative assistant of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

11 The superintendent has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

13 She selects documents and school statistics and works with eager hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her completed state track meet programs from afar.   (…)

28 Her principals and early childhood directors arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but an administrative assistant who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at her time of retirement.

When asked what’s next, Carol said she and her husband hope to sell their current home and build. “After that’s completed, I look forward to focusing on my hobbies. I like to embroider, sew, knit, crochet, do calligraphy, paint, and read. I’d like to get more involved again with the ladies at church—they have a knitting group, the LWML, the fellowship committee—I just like getting together and helping in that way. I also might do some other volunteering at nursing homes or at hospitals rocking babies.”

Carol will be missed at the office. We wish her all God’s blessings upon her retirement!

_{Photos by Elisa Schulz/Michigan District, LCMS}