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William Taliaferro Close –
Born June 7th, 1924 Greenwich, Connecticut.
The second arriving of twins.
His brother’s name, Edward Bennet Close – Ted, who is here with us.
Family motto, Fortis et Fidelis, Strong and Faithful.
As a child raised in France.
As a boy educated in True British Tradition, Summerfield and Harrow.
Student at Harvard.
Married February 6th, 1943 to Bettine Moore, his life long ally, partner and rock.
Husband – father of 5.
Pilot in World War II, resupplied Patton at the Battle of the Bulge.
First Western Allied pilot into Warsaw.
Squadron morale and booze officer.
Med student at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Intern, Resident, Physician, Surgeon, Doc.
Africa 16 years, the 1st year of which he was the only surgeon in a 1500 bed Kinshasa hospital.
Medicine practiced under the most challenging of conditions.
Hospital administrator.
Personal physician and confidant of President Mobutu SeSe Soko who gave him carte blanche in the care of all Zairians.
He and Bettine traveled the world and picked the spot they loved the best…
Wyoming, Big Piney, Country Doc, Clinic, 200 mile house calls, community member, non-profit starter, Deanne Bradley obeyer, friend.
Patient Advocate, Nursing Advocate, Bureaucratic Foe.
Author, Teacher, Speaker, Fisherman and Dog Lover.
During his time he had many hobbies.
Lasting variable lengths but always pursued with the greatest of enthusiasm.
The short list includes:
Small craft piloting, scuba diving, kite flying, radio operation,
shooting, art, tennis playing, clarinet playing,
eating, water skiing, needlepoint, reading.
What are we to say of such a man?
To him, too much introspection was “Navel Gazing”.
A solid person was a “Good Egg”.
And his mantra before entering any fray, “Do Your Homework!”.
A complicated simple man.
A technophile who opposed gadgetry in medicine.
To him Nothing can replace hands on care.
He was a man of indomitable will, an indefatigable fighter of Great Integrity, Empathy and Tenderness.
He loved unconditionally.
When I think of him words come to mind like:
Endurance, Persistence, Optimism, Self-discipline and Compassion.
If you are here you knew him, if not, I’m sorry you missed him.
To say he touched people’s lives is an understatement.
He inspired and motivated and changed lives.
He saved lives.
He rallied those around him to fight with and against what he saw as humanity’s True Enemies:
Sickness, Oppression, Apathy and any kind of Bullshit!
If we are to take anything from his full and wonderful life, it is to view the world with our eyes as open as possible.
And when you encounter:
Apathy, Cruelty, Sickness and Pain
Wrapped in a cloak of Normalcy,
Complacency, or Bureaucracy
Do not step aside.
Do not walk past.
But stand and confront it, Oppose it.
Attack it.
With Persistence and Optimism, Grit and Heart.
In the words of a man Pop admired and resembled in Bulldog determination,
“All that is necessary for evil to Prevail is for Good people to do Nothing”.