First holder of the professorship named in his honor, Dr.
Williams, 64, is a world-renowned pioneer in antithyroid drugs and
insulin secretion and action.

Effective July 1, 1975 through June 30, 1980, the new
professorship was approved by the Board of Regents August 23 in honor of
Dr. Williams' return to full-time teaching and research after
distinguished service as an administrator.

Joining the University of Washington faculty in 1948, Dr.
Williams was for 15 years the first chairman of the Department of
Medicine. During his chairmanship, he attracted a strong departmental
core faculty, evolved the concept of the affiliated hospital system,
launched excellent research programs, and made major contributions to
teaching and patient care.

During 31 years of clinical investigation, he has made
significant contributions to extensive studies on the thyroid and the
relationships of the thyroid and other endocrine, particularly the
pituitary, adrenal and pancreas, as well as studies of insulin
metabolism and diabetes and studies of the problems of obesity,
atherosclerosis and lipid metabolism.

He is the author of two texts: "Textbook of Endocrinology,"
first published in 1950, now in its fifth edition, a classic in the field
and recognized internationally as the leading text; and "Diabetes,"
published in 1960.

Dr. Williams is the author of a new text book on death and dying.
The text, published in 1973, is entitled, "To Live and To Die: When Why
and How."

After his retirement in 1975 as division head, Dr. Williams will
continue to serve head of the recently funded Diabetes Research Center
and of the Diabetes Research institute.

Born September 27, 1909 in Savannah, Tennessee, he is a 1929
graduate of Washington and Lee University and received his medical
doctor's degree in 1934 from Johns Hopkins University. He received his
training in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University Hospital, Johns
Hopkins Hospital and the Massachusetts General Hospital.

He was instructor and assistant professor at Harvard Medical
School until coming to Seattle in 1948 as executive officer and professor
of medicine at the UW.

[This professorship at the University of Washington was funded by over
$500,000 in donations to honor Dr. Williams.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Robert H. Williams was born 9/27/1909 in Savannah, Tennessee,
the son of Dr. and Mrs. Fayette C. Williams who moved to Corinth in 1923.
Dr. Williams graduated from Corinth High School at the age of 15. Dr.
Williams career began with his graduation from Washington Lee University
at the age of 19. Dr. Williams was married in 1942 to Andrea Brown.
They had three children- Lee (attorney), Hugh (physicist) and Alan
(student). Dr. Williams died in Seattle, Washington on ?. Dr. Williams
was the brother of Dr. Fayette Williams, Harry Lee Williams, and Mrs.
Robert Liddon, all of Corinth and Mrs. Ernest Williams, Memphis, Tenn.

WILLIAMS TEXTBOOK OF ENDOCRINOLOGY, edited by Jean D. Wilson and Daniel
W. Foster, 8th ed, 1712 pp, with illus, $125 ISBN 0-7216-9514-0,
Philadelphia, PA, WB Saunders Co, 1992.

[The first edition of this famous textbook, published in 1950, was
written by Robert H. Williams and 11 contributors. Williams stated then
that "the authors chosen to collaborate in writing this book are men who
have maintained intimate contact with progress in both basic and clinical
investigations, and who have had great experience in the practical
application of this information."]

Data transcription by: Milton Sandy, Jr. June 3, 1993