Obituary of Dr. Robert Tudor Williams
It is with great sadness that the family of Tudor Williams announces his peaceful passing. Tudor was born the youngest of two sons in the town of Swansea, in the beautiful land of Wales, United Kingdom. Tudor’s father, Dr. Howell Meyric Williams and his mother, Olwen Gee, gave their boys, Tudor and Tom, a wonderful childhood filled with trips to the Welsh seaside, card games, cricket, golf and croquet. Tudor was too young to be conscripted into service in the Second World War, but often talked about those difficult years growing up as a teenager, such as when he observed Liverpool in flames from the family home in Wrexham, when he and his school chums found a pilot’s plane downed in the school yard, and when his family took in children from London during the Blitz. Tudor served as a British Military Policeman in Berlin for two years after the Second World War, and was always very proud of his service and quick to share a lesson learned or amusing story from his time in uniform. Tudor then entered Cardiff medical school where he had a passion for medicine, rugby, fellowship and beer and was very proud to Captain the school’s rugby team among other sporting accomplishments. While at medical school Tudor met the love of his life, nursing sister Jane Rowlands Davies, at a doctor-nurse medical school dance. Tudor graduated as a medical doctor in 1957 and excelled in medicine, becoming known for his humour, kindness, and compassion towards his patients. That same year, Tudor and Jane married in a small family wedding in the quaint Welsh village of Capel Dewi, just down the road from Tyn Cwm, Jane’s family farm. The couple started their grand adventure by moving to Canada on a Cunard Transatlantic Liner in 1960 and settled in Edmonton, Alberta where Tudor practiced as a specialist in Anesthesiology, and where their three children Owen, Sian and Huw were born. They then moved their young family to Calgary, Alberta in 1966 to begin a wonderful new chapter in family life, and where Tudor, with his friend Dr. George Drummond, started the Department of Anesthesia at the Calgary Foothills Hospital. Living in Calgary for the next forty-two years, Tudor was a very well-respected anesthesiologist at Foothills Hospital, becoming known for his skills, his invention of the Williams Airway Intubator, and most importantly his kindness to his patients and the young doctors he taught. In a time long past house calls, Tudor continued to make house calls to patients with cancer so as to relieve their pain. Tudor enjoyed his many friends and diverse activities – golf, squash, skiing, hiking and more golf. He had numerous holes-in-one, shot a 69 in competition and was a Senior Club Champion at his beloved Canyon Meadows Golf Club. Tudor was a wonderful husband and father. He was compassionate, had an amazing sense of humour, and was kind to every single person he met. He was a wonderful playmate to his grandchildren and always took their side in every endeavor! Tudor was loved like crazy by his family and will be deeply missed by all he knew. Tudor was predeceased by his beloved wife Jane in December 2008, but is survived by son Owen and partner Betty; daughter Sian and husband Jorge and grandchildren Paloma and Olwen; son Huw and wife Barbara and grandchildren Morgan, Hannah, and Brittany. Many relatives across Canada and Wales also survive him. A private family Service will be held in Waterloo, Ontario. In accordance with Tudor’s wishes, donations should be made to the Canadian Cancer Society in lieu of flowers. The family wishes to sincerely thank the staff at St. Mary’s Hospital and at Cambridge Country Manor for repaying the kindness Tudor showed to others in his lifetime by caring for him with understanding and compassion during his last four months. Donations may be arranged by contacting the ERB & GOOD FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 171 King Street South, Waterloo at 1-519-745-8445 or www.erbgood.com.
How green was my Valley, then, and the Valley of them that have gone.
Richard Llewellyn
