Dr. Jonathan Richard Williams, Jr.

Dr. Jonathan Richard Williams, son of Dr. J. Richard Williams and Annie Laurie Beckham Williams, died January 23, 2017. He was born in Selma, Alabama, Sept. 8th 1939.  He was graduated from Albert Parrish High School and Princeton University. He received His MD and Masters in Biochemistry and Thesis of the Year Award from Tulane Medical School. After medical school, he did his internship and First Year residency at The University of Missouri Medical Center.  1967 he entered the US Public Health Service and spent two years at National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD doing cancer research on chemical carcinogens. From 1969 to 1971 he served at Massachusetts General Hospital, first as a Senior Resident in Internal Medicine, and then as a fellow in Medical Oncology. For the next 15 years he practiced Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology at Baylor Medical Center, Dallas ,Texas, as Senior Partner, Texas Oncology. In 1985 he started working for Vitas Heath Care (Hospice) as their Medical Director and then National Medical Director, which required lots of travel to many cities. In 1990 he left the practice of medicine and devoted his time to administration in Miami, FL.

He published many articles and wrote the book “The Surviving Spouse”. He ended his career in 2004 as Chief Medical Officer and Vice Chairman of Vitas.  Vitas created the Foundation for the End of Life Care and he served as Chairman and President. They helped with the founding of Duke University Institute on the Care at the end of Life emphasizing the importance of spiritual care at the end of life.

He married the love of his life, Lois Maccubbin Williams on March 11th 1961. They had five children. J. Richard Williams III (children Kelsey and Jonathan IV), Gary Williams (Collin and Blake), Douglas Williams (deceased), Elizabeth Williams Rogers (Robert) children Kyle, Ali, and Emma, and Kirk Williams (Lynda) daughter Harper. Brother Joseph Beckham Williams (Lynn) nieces and nephews.

Following retirement, they moved to his much loved Glenville NC, where he enjoyed the beautiful mountains, lake and fishing. He was mostly a volunteer at The Church of the Good Shepherd, where he served on the vestry, senior warden, lecturer, teacher, outreach chair, and even the bazaar.

A funeral service will be held Monday, January 30, 2017 at 11:00 am at The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Cashiers, NC.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Endowment Fund Cashiers, NC or to the Four Seasons Hospice, Hendersonville, NC. Bryant-Grant Funeral Home is serving the Williams family. Online condolences may be made at bryantgrantfuneralhome.com.