Few people would disagree with the statement that the Alabama Public Health Department is the most important state agency in Alabama. Even fewer people would disagree with the statement that under the leadership of State Health Officer, Dr. Don Williamson it is the best run department in state government. I have been a long time admirer from afar of our state health officer. 

 Dr. Don Williamson’s career with the Alabama Department of Public Health began in 1986 when he accepted the position of Director of the Division of Disease Control. In 1988, Dr. Williamson accepted the position of Director of the bureau of Preventive Health Services and became head of the Department in 1992. Under his extraordinary leadership the Alabama Department of Public Health is considered one of the most outstanding Public Health Departments in America. 

Dr. Williamson graduated from Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Cum Laude in 1979. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia.  

I often wondered how our poor state could attract such remarkable talent. Dr. Don Williamson could work anywhere and in most instances earn more money. On the evening of July 26, 2008 I realized that Dr. Don Williamson was not the first great State Health Officer to serve Alabama. 

My wife, Debra Griffin had an opportunity to attend the beautiful home going services of Dr. Ira L. Myers at Dalraida Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. She did not know Dr. Myers personally, but was familiar with his many contributions and Legacy to the Alabama Public Health Department. Public Health Professionals throughout America praised his work. 

Debra arrived at Dalraida Baptist church around the same time as my good friend Mayor Bobby Bright and his wife Judge Lynn Bright. As Debra entered the church, the soloist was singing “How Great Thou Art”. Debra told me that the Eulogy which was delivered by Rev. Rick Evans was one of the most heart warming eulogies she had ever heard. Rev. Evans told those in attendance that he loved Dr. Myers and that he was a true friend and made many contributions to the ministry. “He was a true missionary, committed to serving the poor, the pastor’s confidante and a financially sound manager.” He stated that Dr. Myers was so committed that even in the 80’s he would conduct a door to door ministry every Sunday afternoon asking strangers to commit to the Lord. He described him as a family man with much character. He stated that Dr. Myers told his family to never do anything that you wouldn’t want printed on the front page of the newspaper. 

Dr. Myers earned a B.S. Degree from Howard College (now Samford University) and later received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University Of Alabama School Of Medicine. Harvard University conferred the degree of Master of Public Health, Cum Laude, upon him in 1953. He completed his internship with the United State Public Health Service in Seattle, Washington. From 1950-1955 he was an epidemiologist with the Public Health Service; Senior Surgeon, Chief Epidemic Intelligence Officer, Communicable Disease Center, where he participated in fields of studies of polio epidemiology and field trials of the Salk Polio vaccine. With other national public health physicians, Dr. Myers co-authored many scientific articles in national publications detailing the cause, effects and treatment for polio and other similar viral infections. In 1963, Dr. Myers was selected to serve as Alabama’s eighth State Health Officer. He was the longest serving state health officer in the nation, serving for 23 years. According to Debra he was Public Health Officer #1. 

The Lord has truly blessed the State of Alabama to continue to attract Godly men to serve in such an important position. Dr. Ira Myers shoes were big to fill, but they are being filled by a man who so often ends his meetings with “God Bless”. Let us continue to support our Public Health Officer, Dr. Don Williamson who keeps us healthy by providing “caring, high quality and professional services for the improvement and protection of the public’s health through disease prevention and the assurance of public health services to residents and transient populations of the state regardless of social circumstances or the ability to pay.

In the words of my dad, “If these gas prices get any higher I am going to buy me a horse!”