Looking at the general manager of The Duck Store, you would see an unassuming middle-aged man who is well-dressed, of average height and perhaps has a slight grin crossing his face. You may not guess that he served in Vietnam or that he broke the 50-and-over “Hood to Coast” time record for long-distance running in a team@@http://www.hoodtocoast.com/categories.php@@. You may not know that he is nearly an institution himself at the University, has a love affair with fly fishing or that he has mentored many successful people. You may not know any of these things, but all of them are true.
“It’s never been a job. Most people can’t say that,” said Williams, who will retire in June. “It’s more of a spiritual calling than anything I can think of. I love being a Duck, I love the people I serve, I love the people I work with.”After an idyllic childhood on the Oregon coast, Williams attended the University. While in college, he worked for the campus bookstore for two years until he graduated with a degree in marketing from the business school. It was after graduation, in the midst of the Vietnam War, that he was drafted into the Army.
“In high school, I loved sports, loved girls. I should have thought more about academics, but I knew I was going to college,” Williams said. “The draft will do that to you. If you don’t stay on course, you’re gone.”
Williams served three years in the Army as a stenographer, one of those years “over there.” Afterward, he was tapped by his old boss and mentor, then-manager of the University bookstore Gerald Henson.
When asked about Henson, tears begin to well in Williams’ eyes.
“Mr. Henson was a true gentleman, what I think of as really a lost art,” Williams said. “Over my years, I have tried to carry myself as a gentleman. Just be kind to people, for God’s sake.”
Succeeding Williams is longtime store employee and University alumnus Arlyn Schaufler.@@http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001170444349@@
“Part of our big mantra is that we help people, and it starts with students,” Schaufler said. “Because of Jim and his mentorship and what it’s meant to me, that’s why I stayed. For him it was a calling, and for me it is a calling. He’s got a special place in his heart for the students.”
When asked how he felt about taking over Williams’ reign, Schaufler replied, “How do you feel about succeeding a legend?”
Schaufler has been working with Williams for nearly 30 years. They’ve had a few adventures together.
It was under the cover of darkness sometime in the early ’80s when one of the duo’s classic stories occurred. Windows were being smashed out of the front doors during the night. Williams planned to catch whoever was responsible in the act. Williams, along with The Duck Store’s loss-prevention team of Bruce Parks, Ken Babs@@this might be Babbs http://www.google.com/search?q=Ken+Babs+duckstore&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a@@ and Schaufler was tipped off that the culprit was escaping by bicycle after the act. They only had to catch them at it.
The stakeout began with Williams positioned at a stairwell in Condon Hall that provided a superior overhead view of the store. Schaufler hid in the bushes outside of Taylor’s and Babs hid in a bush near the store. Parks remained inside. After hours of waiting, Schaufler came running up the stairs toward Williams.
Thinking Arlyn left his post, Williams asked, “Arlyn, what are you doing here?”
“My answer was pretty simple: I had been urinated on my feet by some patron from Taylor’s,” Schaufler said. “I was pretty ready for this night watch to be over with.”
Again, footsteps were coming up the stairs. This time it was Parks.
“Parks! What are you doing here?” Williams had asked.
“Babs has stepped on a hornet’s nest! He’s being stung by bees!” Parks said.
“And sure enough, there’s Babs with his pants around his ankles, his big white butt in the air — he had a great tan — and he’s slapping at the bees that were stinging him all over,” Williams said. “We’ve laughed a lot. We’ve had a lot to laugh about.”