Monday morning was especially difficult for Sgt. Ryan Beauford. He and Grant Williams typically arrive at work at the same time to go to their offices adjacent to one another.

But Monday served as a vivid reminder that he would no longer share this experience with his esteemed colleague and beloved friend.

‘I will tell you this, on occasions in my life I’ve been blessed to be able to say, ‘I had a relationship with that person,’ and Grant was definitely one of those people,’ Beauford said. ‘He wasn’t just someone I knew. He was a gift.’

Williams, a major in Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety, who had been at the university for 40 years, died Friday after a long illness. Williams was so committed to the university community that he continued working up to about a month before his death. He left colleagues, friends and family with nothing but fond memories, important life lessons and a desire to carry on his passion for helping others.

Williams was described by many of his colleagues as a ‘father figure.’ He was there to give advice and cared infinitely about the well being of others.

‘Working with Grant was like working with your dad,’ said Lt. John Sardino, who worked with Williams for 25 years. ‘He had his opinions, and you might not have always agreed with him, but you ended up finding out he was right.’

Stan Kissel, director of basketball operations, grew up without a father in the household and said that meeting Williams was like finding that missing piece.

‘He’s always the guy that no matter what, you’re always going to listen to what he said. You’re always going to take his advice,’ Kissel said. ‘He’s someone you search out if you had some problems or wanted to talk.’

And perhaps what his colleagues will miss most about Williams is having him to talk to – from everything about his work to his family.

‘You could talk to him about family and what that meant, friendship and what that meant,’ Sardino said. ‘I had conversations with Grant about where to invest my money. You name it – I’ve had the conversation with the guy.’

Williams was very involved in the entire university community and at basketball games, he always sat behind the bench. Kissel said Williams was the coach’s escort on and off the floor and the team’s security, but ‘he was way beyond that.’

Williams had a sincere interest in getting to know and help the players, Kissel said, not because they played basketball but because they were students like everyone else.

DPS Deputy Chief Drew Buske said Williams was at his best when he was helping a student. ‘Grant had a dedication to students no one I’ve seen has surpassed,’ he said.

Buske and Williams worked together for 20 years, earning the nicknames Felix and Oscar from ‘The Odd Couple’ at one point in their career.

Buske recalls two specific instances that characterize Williams.

Once, when a student was distraught over her car being towed and didn’t have enough money to pay her tickets, Williams pooled the money together to get her car out.

In 1981, when students released 14 chickens in Bird Library as a prank, Williams was called as security to round up the chickens. But even then, Williams could see the humorous side of things, Buske said.

‘I don’t think I ever remember seeing him angry,’ Buske said. ‘He loved coming to work at the university.’

Another striking memory Buske has of Grant is from working the ‘Coming Back Together’ alumni reunion at SU. Alumni from the 1970s would come up, recognize Grant, and thank him for the help and support he gave them when they were students.

‘What was even more striking was that their children had since been to SU and Grant had met them and helped them,’ Buske said.

Williams taught his co-workers the importance of always helping students. DPS Chief Tony Callisto said Williams had a strong impact on the department with his student-focus approach.

‘Grant was really a trend setter in regards to campus community policing,’ Callisto said. ‘His simple approach was that we need to be student-centered and student-focused, and Grant was right.’

Williams served as ‘the voice of reason,’ Callisto said, and in the 1970s, Williams introduced ideas that are effective today.

Outside of the university, Williams was a devout family man. He constantly talked about his family, including his wife, three sons and four grandchildren. Williams’ family mattered most. Williams also had a furniture upholstery business on the side and was an accomplished artist.

Williams has left a lasting impact on the lives of his friends, family and co-workers.

‘Grant taught us most how to really treat people – I’m talking about the student that needs you, I’m talking about the student that’s just committed a crime, and everybody in between,’ Beauford said. ‘I have to now go, ‘What would Grant do?”

mequalte@syr.edu

Published on December 2, 2009 at 12:00 pm