ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County is, has been, and always will be filled with tremendous hard-working people. But the community lost one of its strongest pillars in Dr. W.L. Haltiwanger, Jr., a man described by many as the “finest person” they’d ever met.
Affectionately known as just “Dr. Bill” by so many, Haltiwanger passed away in September, 2018. As the county’s only orthodontist, his name has resonated with locals for 53 years — 41 as an orthodontist and 12 as a general dentist — as a fixer of braces, a family man, a lover of all Richmond Senior High School athletics, a man of faith and a behind-the-scenes philantraphist.
This three-part series will remember Dr. Bill’s life’s work as the Richmond Observer offers stories and tributes from numerous former players and coaches, community members, as well as friends and family.
Part one is a reflection by his family, namely his children Dr. Leonard Helms Haltiwanger and Cindy Haltiwanger Watkins, along with her husband Dr. Rick Watkins.
Whether he was a close friend, or a newfound companion, one thing was clear about Dr. Bill — he loved the people he was around, no matter if it was in the dental chair or at a football game, around the dinner table or in public.
Most importantly, as Cindy and Len remember, he loved lending a helping hand when he could.
“Dad was the ultimate servant,” Len said. “I can’t wrap my head around how he did what he did and how he did it all so perfectly. He had a tremendous amount of faith in God — he didn’t quote the bible, he lived it.
“All I ever knew him to do was give everything he had, whether it was his time, advice or talent,” he continued. “My entire life, I only knew my dad to give everything he had to help everyone he could and love everyone he knew. That is the best way I can sum up how I look at my dad’s life.”
The Road to Orthodontics
Married to the love of his life, Marion, since Sept. 4, 1954, Haltiwanger was the loving father of four children: Harriet (Horn), Cindy (Watkins), Missy (Kirkland) and Len.
Born in 1928 and a native of Columbia, S.C., Haltiwanger’s family came to Richmond County when his father, William Leonard Haltiwanger, was the principal at Hamlet High School for 41 years.
Dr. Bill’s children say that’s where his love of education began. Rick Watkins added Dr. Bill had “a real appreciation for what educators do.”
In high school, Dr. Bill played three sports, which is where his passion for supporting Richmond athletics began. He was a lineman and long snapper in football, played catcher in baseball and was a forward on the basketball team.
He received a scholarship to play football and baseball at Lenoir-Rhyne University, but broke his shoulder. Dr. Bill played through the injury until it was found out, and even offered to give the scholarship back. That type of gesture — Rick said — defined what kind of person Dr. Bill was his entire life.
After the injury, Dr. Bill transferred to the University of North Carolina and earned a business degree. Following that, he got a job at Southern Bell Telephone Company in Charlotte, where at a YMCA dance, he met his future wife of over six decades.
A decorated intelligence officer in the United States Marine Corps, Dr. Bill served in the Korean War. It was something “he never talked about” but was “something that impacted him and made him a humble person.”
He was also an Eagle Scout who was “committed to scouting as an adult.” In college, he worked at waterfront camps, teaching swimming and canoeing and was a proficient swimmer. Later in his life, he would continue to maintain his interest in and support of the Boy Scouts of America.
In 1954, Dr. Bill returned to UNC, this time to study general dentistry. A 1958 graduate of the program, and so good out of the gates, he was asked to stay on at Chapel Hill as a professor.
“Dad wanted to practice and instead he felt he could do the greatest good in his hometown,” Cindy said. “He came back here and practiced with his brother, Al Haltiwanger.
“Then he went back to orthodontics school so he could spend more time with family,” she added. “He enjoyed working with younger people so much. At the time there were no other orthodontists in the area, so he saw kids from Richmond, Anson, Moore and Scotland counties, as well as kids from South Carolina.”
Dr. Bill also spent time in Africa, working on mission trips doing dental work.
A Community and Family Man
In 2002, Dr, Bill was named Richmond County’s “Citizen of the Year,” a title that his father held once before him. He was an active member of Civitan Club, coached Little League baseball and was instrumental in the building of Bynum Park in Rockingham.
Friday nights were meant for Raider football games, Saturdays were spent fixing up the church and Sunday afternoons meant fishing and family time.
For years, Dr. Bill spent every Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamlet mowing grass, planting flowers and getting the church yard ready. He also helped put luminaries outside the church every year at Christmas.
“He would be out there from 10 a.m. until dark,” Cindy recalled. “The flower beds were his work at St. Paul’s. One of his hobbies was making stained glass, and he made stained glass angels that were put out every Christmas in the church windows.”
At Christmastime, one of Dr. Bill’s favorite activities was to help provide local families with the spirit of the holidays. He would shop for local families, he took the kids with him and helped deliver gifts and food.
As his children remember, Dr. Bill “taught all of us about giving and the goodness of helping others.”
One of his favorite sayings was that every morning “was a fine morning” and was often someone people trusted to confide in. He also lived by the motto of three simple words — God, family, community.
Cindy recalled that her father loved all people and was such a positive person with a good sense of humor. The Haltiwanger family beach vacation, which is taken every year, allowed Dr. Bill to spend time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
With 24 people spending time together, she said it was clear that her father “loved his life,” especially during one of his favorite weeks of the year.
“Nothing made my daddy happier than when our entire family was all together, whether at the beach or just hanging out at Mama and Daddy’s,” Cindy said. “He loved Mama and our family so much, and spending time with all his family, especially his grandchildren, made him so happy. He was so proud of them all.”
“Our family was the most important thing in my dad’s life,” Len explained. “He was always on the go to help others, but when he was with us, he was committed and he gave us the attention every parent should give his kids.
“Dad was going to do everything perfectly, he wouldn’t compromise,” he added. “He wasn’t satisfied unless it was the best he could offer and he was perfect for us at home.”
A Lover Of Richmond Athletics
Outside of his office, Dr. Bill was perhaps most well-known for his love of all Richmond Raider athletics. The head of the athletic booster club, he would hold the club’s meetings at his office to ensure student-athletes and coaches got what they needed.
For decades, Dr. Bill was a friendly and familiar face in the reserved section at Raider football games. Even up through the time that he was sick, he still attended games, rooting on the Raiders and watching from his car parked beneath the score board.
“Daddy would get so excited for Friday nights,” Cindy remembered. “He’d roll up in ‘Ole Green,’ this 1964 truck he bought for $150. He painted Ole Green Richmond’s colors and he used gold spray paint on the rims.
“He would never miss a game, and he’d travel with the team,” she continued. “Daddy was the biggest Raider fan I knew.”
Dr. Bill’s passion for Richmond athletics was a family affair, as Mrs. Haltiwanger made homemade green and gold flags, she went to all the games as well, and even made her daughters’ cheerleading uniforms.
“Raider football was one of my dad’s passions, if there was a game he was going to be there,” Len shared. “He loved the kids and the players, which stemmed from his love of sports. And it wasn’t just football — he loved all sports.
“He enjoyed interacting with the teams, and his interest and dedication allowed his passion to live on through him,” he added. “He did so much for so many.”
Dr. Bill established many other traditions with Raider athletics such as the “Welcome Wagon,” good luck pennies for coaches and providing specialized mouthpieces for football players, all of which will be shared in the other installments of this feature.
Connecting With Patients
One of the special connections Dr. Bill shared with his only son, Len, was practicing orthodontics beside him. Len, a 1987 graduate of Richmond, joined his father’s practice in 2000 and worked with him for 10 years until Dr. Bill’s retirement.
Len said the decade he spent with his father “was great” and that he “learned so much.” His father’s love and attention for his patients and his craft resonate with the second-generation orthodontist.
“What stood out to me was the love his patients had for him in return,” Len said. “Patients would continue to come back years after treatment just to say hey to my dad. I’m now seeing third generations of patients coming through the office out of loyalty and love.
“I’ll always remember my dad as the most selfless person I’ve ever known,” he closed. “Dad set a really good example of how to live, and it seems like all my memories are of him reaching out and helping others. He reached out to all kinds of people, tying the community together, and did it all without being asked or without wanting praise.”
The Richmond Observer will publish the second and third installments of this special feature in the week. We thank Cindy and Rick Watkins and Len Haltiwanger for their contributions.
