John Closs Williams Jr.

John Closs (JC) Williams, Jr., M.D., passed away peacefully at his home in Prescott, Arizona, on May 23, 2026, age 82. Born August 2, 1943, in Albany, NY, to John Closs Williams, Sr. and Inez Williams. JC lived a life marked by intellectual rigor, tenacity, and a deep devotion to family, community, and the practice of medicine. He was a man who loved life fully and met every challenge with an unwavering refusal to quit.

John grew up in Glens Falls, NY. His fondest memory is when his baseball team played in the 1955 Little League World Series. He graduated from Glens Falls High School in 1961, a brilliant, ambitious student who covered high school baseball for the local newspaper. A natural competitor, John went on to earn his Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in 1965, where he proudly played baseball for the Big Red, a chapter of his life he often recalled with great affection, and one that sparked a lifelong love of the game. He then earned his Doctor of Medicine from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1969, a milestone that launched a remarkable career in medicine spanning more than three decades.

Dedicated to his craft, John completed his internship in mixed surgery at the University of Pennsylvania before being called to serve his country. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Navy with the United States Public Health Service in Rosebud, South Dakota, from 1970 to 1972, practicing general medicine. He often credited those formative years as a general practitioner with shaping his clinical instincts and humanity as a physician. South Dakota is where he became an accomplished horseman.

After his honorable discharge from the service, he went on to complete his residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Presbyterian Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, where he met and married his wife, Patricia, in 1978. John excelled as a staff radiologist with Dr. Allen Associates from 1975 to 1980, also serving on the clinical and residency faculty.

In 1981, John and his family moved to Scottsbluff, Nebraska, where he joined Medical Imaging Associates and practiced for a decade in the Department of Radiology at Regional West Medical Center. With the tenacity and vision that defined him, he established the first low-cost, self-schedule mammography program in the State of Nebraska, a pioneering contribution to women's health that reflected his lifelong commitment to accessible, high-quality care. The family called Scottsbluff home until 1990.

After semi-retiring, John and Patricia settled in Queensbury, NY, in 1991, where they resided until 2004. John resumed his radiology practice with East Hudson Radiology, P.C., in Troy, NY. He later joined Imagex Services as Radiology Medical Director, operating a small rural radiology office in Greenville, NY, where he continued doing the work he loved. John was not a man who gave up. When one chapter closed, he opened another, always moving forward with purpose and determination.

In 2004, John and Patricia retired to Prescott, Arizona, where they have resided since, enjoying the open skies, mild climate, and natural beauty of the high desert.

John was a proud member of the American Board of Radiology, the American College of Radiology, the Radiological Society of North America, the Rocky Mountain Radiological Society, the Nebraska Medical Society, the New York State Radiological Society, and the Scotts Bluff County Medical Society, where he served as President in 1988.

Beyond medicine, John was deeply invested in the communities he called home. He served as a Trustee on the Board of Governors of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff and was Director of American Legion Baseball for Scottsbluff-Gering, a role that combined two of his lifelong passions: helping kids, and the great American pastime he had first fallen in love with on the diamond at Cornell.

John was a man who loved life and lived it to the fullest. An avid sports enthusiast and devoted baseball fan, he loved the outdoors and embraced golfing fairways, casting lines on quiet water, cycling country roads, carving down ski slopes, trading volleys on the racquetball court, and playing Senior Softball in Prescott for many years. He gladly volunteered his time as a Little League baseball coach, passing along his love of the game to the next generation, and he was always willing to grab a glove and play a game of catch. He approached his hobbies with the same intensity, brilliance, and joy he brought to everything in his life.

Those who knew JC well will tell you that beyond his medical expertise and athletic pursuits, it was his wry, biting humor and sharp intellect that left the deepest impression. He could light up a room with a perfectly timed observation, disarm a tense moment with a dry quip, and hold court on nearly any subject with a depth of knowledge that reflected his boundless curiosity. A conversation with John was never dull; he made sure of that. He was also extremely generous to all his loved ones, with his time, his resources, and his heart, always making sure the people he cared about knew they were supported and valued.

John was preceded in death by his parents, John Closs Williams, Sr. and Inez Williams; his sister, Lynn (Richard) Jones; and his cherished daughter, Laura Williams, whose memory he carried with him every day. Those who knew John knew that Laura was never far from his heart.

He is survived by his beloved wife Patricia of 48 devoted years; sons Eric Williams and Mark Williams; his loving sister Nancy and husband Tom Clark; sister and brother-in-law Connie and Duane Helmink; lifelong devoted friends John and Beth Williamson; and by his dear cousins Michael (Dawn) Murphy, Cindy (Stan) Watroba, and Mary Beth Murphy, all of Upstate New York, and his many nieces and nephews.

John also leaves behind six adored grandchildren, who brought him boundless joy: Hunter Williams, Parker Williams, Slater Williams, Skyler Williams, Andrei Shpilenok, and Makar Shpilenok. Whether cheering them on at ballgames, sharing stories, or simply delighting in their company, John treasured every moment spent as "Grandpa." His love for his family was the steady current beneath every accomplishment, every adventure, and every quiet moment.

From the ballfields of Cornell, to NYC, to the plains of South Dakota, the foothills of Colorado, the rural towns of Nebraska, the hills of Upstate New York, and finally the high desert of Arizona, Dr. JC Williams touched countless lives. Brilliant, tenacious, dedicated, and full of life until the very end, he leaves behind a legacy of healing, mentorship, integrity, and love, measured not only in patients cared for and colleagues mentored, but in the family and community that surrounded him.He will be profoundly missed and forever cherished by his family and all who were fortunate enough to call him husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, doctor, mentor, teammate, or friend.

We will always love you, and remember to keep your eye on the ball.