AMERICUS — Walter Rylander Sr., Eddie Rhea Walker, Charles Huntington Wheatley, Jeff Williams and LeRoy Williams were honored by the City of Americus Sunday at the sixth annual Walk of Fame ceremony.

In an introduction, Walk of Fame committee member Ryan Young said that what really defines a community are not the landmarks and businesses, but the people.

Historian and committee member Alan Anderson took the stage to present information and accomplishments of the honorees.

Anderson said that Walter Rylander Sr. was from “one of the most prominent families in Sumter County.” According to Anderson, Rylander was a veteran of World War I. He founded the Americus Automobile Co. that sold early-model Maxwells, Studebakers and Fords. He was the eighth president of the Americus Rotary Club and in 1919 built the Rylander Theatre for $150,000. It was referred to as “the finest playhouse south of Atlanta.”

Retired educator Eddie Rhea Walker, who taught Anderson and fellow honoree Jeff Williams in the Americus public school system, was also honored at Sunday’s ceremony. She was valedictorian of the Staley High School class of 1955 and has been an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority for 51 years. A teacher of 35 years, Walker taught government and economics at Americus High School where she was instrumental in the lives of young people. In 1995 along with Eloise Paschal, Walker broke the gender lines in the Americus City government by being elected to the City Council.

Charles H. Wheatley, in 1905, was instrumental in bringing Georgia Southwestern College to Americus. According to Anderson, Hawkinsville and Americus were both in the running to have the college established in their respective communities, but with Wheatley’s efforts Americus was chosen. An engineer, Wheatley founded the Americus Construction Co. In 1911, he built the former bank building at the corner of Lamar and Forrest streets. He donated 25,000 acres of land at Lake Blackshear to the Daniel B. Warren School of Forestry at the University of Georgia. At his death in 1991, he was he was worth $20 million and gave generously to the Georgia Southwestern College Foundation, the Sumter Regional Hospital Authority and First Presbyterian Church in Americus.

Jeff Williams, a native of Americus, is a1983 graduate of Americus High School who began painting as a child. Williams studied at the Art Institute of Atlanta and in Europe where he further developed his art-deco style and incorporated the stylings of “the old masters” into his work according to Anderson. He and his work have been featured in Florida Design and High Class Living magazines. In 2002, he was chosen as one of  12 artists from America to participate in the prestigious Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts Show at the Carrousel Du Louvre in Paris, France. He has been involved in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums across the United States and his work was used in 2001, as the official art of the Kentucky Derby. Williams’ art also has been featured in shows at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Virginia Highland Art Fest and the Augusta Art Show, among others.

Leroy Williams served in World War II, before he became an integral part of athletics in the public school system in Americus. He coached football and basketball at Staley High from 1948 to 1957, taught history and English at Sumter County High School from 1957 to 1970, and coached the Sumter High School Tigers football team to district four region 1-A runner up in 1951 and in 1952 the Tigers under Williams won in the district four region championship and the North Georgia championship.

Williams was the first coach at Staley High School and Sumter County High School. In 1970, he was hired by Coach Jack Finklea as recreational assistant for midget league sports for black youth. He taught history at Sumter County Comprehensive High School from 1982 to 1987. During his years as a coach and educator he was instrumental in the lives of thousands of black youth. He retired in 1987.

Among the awards Leroy Williams received in his career are the Outstanding CETA Summer Youth Program in 1980, NAACP Political Action Outstanding Achievement Award in 1987, American Legion Outstanding Services Award in 1990 and the Blue and Gold Club Award for outstanding services to Sumter County athletic program in 2003.

These five outstanding citizens have an engraved bronze plaque in their name and listing their exceptional contributions which has been permanently affixed into the pavers on the sidewalk in front of the Rylander Theatre on West Lamar Street.