Gary Williams, MD, retired associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, died on August 21, 2024, in Reston, Virginia. Over the last five years, Williams faced multiple illnesses with the grace, good cheer, and optimism he was known for.
Williams completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania and practiced internal medicine for a few years at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He arrived at the University of Wisconsin in 1985 to join its Pediatrics Residency Program and pursue his passion for caring for children. Norman Fost, MD, MPH, professor emeritus, Division of Child Protection, recalled Williams’ unique character and contributions to the program: “He was a bright, charming, trained and experienced internist who, in his humble and self-effacing way, added an extra dimension to the program.”
Following residency, Williams joined the faculty of the UW Department of Pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. He developed an interest in pediatric dermatology and photography, becoming the department’s consulting dermatologist and clinical photographer. He retired in 2021.
Williams is fondly remembered by his colleagues and students as a kind, skillful, and dedicated pediatrician with a welcomed sense of humor.
“Gary was one of the sweetest people I have known, one of those rare people who was loved by everyone who knew him,” Fost added. “It was not possible to come up with an unkind word about him.”
Williams’ obituary was published in the Wisconsin State Journal on September 1, 2024.