Dr. William S. Wilson
William Sleight Wilson, of Orono, passed away on November 8, 2013, with his family by his side. Bill was born in Eastport, Maine, in 1927, the son of Burpee H. and Hazel L. Wilson. He graduated from Shead Memorial High School at fifteen years old and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maine. He then graduated from University of Pennsylvania Medical School at the ripe old age of twenty-two. He married Marit Andersen of Portland on August 7, 1948 and they lived in Hanover, NH, during his internship at Mary Hitchcock Hospital. After a move to Sacramento, CA, where Bill spent two years in the Air Force and a year of residency at the Mayo Clinic, they moved to Ann Arbor, MI, where Bill completed his residency in cardiology. Ann Arbor became their home and they lived there happily while he was a professor at the University of Michigan Medical School. In 1967, he was one of the founders of the New Jersey College of Medicine and Chief of Medicine. In 1971, Bill and Marit
moved home to Maine to fulfill a goal of establishing a medical school in the State of Maine. After the medical school was passed by the state legislature, the school was vetoed by the Governor and was never established. As an alternative, Bill started Northeast Cardiology in Bangor where he brought the best cardiology care to the residents of Eastern Maine. To better serve those patients, Bill pioneered the practice of doctors bringing their practice to the smaller communities of Washington and Aroostook County. He established weekly visits to Machias, Calais, Ft. Kent, Houlton and other communities in Eastern Maine so as to serve patients that needed specialized cardiology care but could not travel to Bangor to get that care. On visits to Machias and Calais, his patients were often family friends of who still called him by his Eastport name of Billy and often paid him for services with their catch of the day. He had many interests including antiques, antique clock repair,
painting, and golf. Many winters were spent in Florida after retirement and there he could golf and paint and be with friends. Bill loved summers at the family camp in Perry and so did the family. There was always a full house and lots of activity there including sailing, swimming, golf, gardening, antiquing, conversation and storytelling, and campfire dinners at Gleasons Cove. Bill loved being with family and friends and everyone enjoyed his company. He always had a smile and a kind, thoughtful way about him. He was a caring and supportive husband, father and grandfather for his family. He is deeply missed. He is survived by his wife Marit, his daughter Susan Ingalls and her husband Terry of Portland, his son Bill, Jr. of Portland and his daughters Marit, Fiona and Emma and his son Scott and his wife Sarah of Waban, MA, and their children Casey, Steffi, Scotty, Mackie and Gray.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Tides
Institute at P.O. Box 161 Eastport, ME 04631. To offer condolences and share
memories with the family, please go to www.coastalcremationservices.com
Online condolences may be expressed below.
| ||||
