Ray Clayton Williams

Ray C. Williams, 77, periodontist, dental educator, mentor, researcher, world traveler, raconteur, devoted husband, loving father, father-in-law, and grandfather, caring brother and uncle, and gracious friend, left us on the evening of October 28th with his son and daughter-in-law by his side.

Ray lived life to the fullest.  Being blessed with countless opportunities, Ray’s true gift was being able to find the best in any situation and always come away with a good story to share.  Those stories, often delivered tongue-in-cheek with a fair amount of hyperbole and varying levels of veracity, never failed to fill the room with laughter.

Gifted with an infectious laugh and a congenial disposition, Ray made anyone in a room with him feel special.  It was these qualities that allowed Ray to be a mentor to so many wonderful individuals, be they dental students or others that he came across later in life.  Some of his greatest pleasure came from watching people succeed, and you could see it when he bragged on those with whom he had worked, but especially his family.

One of Ray’s favorite sayings, which he jokingly applied to many situations and people, was “never has someone done so much with so little.”  The beauty of this statement is that it very much applied to the man himself, as he came from the humble beginnings in small-town Alabama to achieve a very successful career and leave a lasting legacy in his chosen profession.

After attending Samford University, Ray moved to the University of Alabama Dental School in Birmingham where he graduated with honors before attending Harvard School of Dental Medicine for his Periodontal training.  It was at Harvard where Ray began his career as a dental educator, serving as the associate dean for postdoctoral education and head of the Department of Periodontology until 1994. Throughout his career, he made numerous contributions to the field, training hundreds of students in the specialty who have gone on to serve in leadership roles in academia, private practice, and industry while his research led to historic discoveries in the field.  Some of his work from the 1980s and 1990s led to the eventual recognition, in 2008, of periodontitis as an inflammatory disease. He was also instrumental in the pioneering work led by Harvard on the introduction of growth factors for the regeneration of lost support around teeth and dental implants. These biologic agents are now used clinically to treat patients affected by periodontal diseases. 

Upon leaving Harvard in 1994, he served as distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Periodontology at the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry, and was later recruited to Stony Brook University where he served as dean of the School of Dental Medicine.

Over the course of his career, Ray was the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP) Outstanding Educator Award; the AAP Gold Medal (the highest award to be bestowed on a member of the Academy); Harvard’s Paul Goldhaber Award (recognizing someone whose work in dentistry has garnered international recognition); The UNC-Chapel Hill Teaching Award (the highest campus-wide recognition for teaching excellence); and the John C. Brauer award (recognizing a lifetime of service to the UNC Adams School of Dentistry), among others.

While Ray’s life was certainly shaped by this professional experience, the strongest influence came from his family and an abundance of dear friends.  While he was teaching in Boston, he married Joan Lash, his wife of 33 years until she preceded him in death in 2014.  She was his favorite (and only) wife, and he her favorite (and also only) husband.  The love they shared filled every home they lived in, especially once they had their favorite (and again only) son, Lee, creating a strong family unit bound together by love.  This love allowed them to become very close, to the point where they considered themselves more than family but also friends, and it allowed them to combat not only one, but two cancer diagnoses and treatment journeys.

In addition to Lee, Ray is survived by his beloved daughter-in-law Meaghan and grandson Clay, who is named after his grandfather; his sister, Eleanor Zieman and her husband Steve, along with their children, Stephen, Sarah, and Caroline; brother-in-law Chris Lash and his wife, Mary; brother-in-law Gary Lash and his wife, Yvonne, and their children Amy and Christopher.  He is also survived by many spouses and children of nieces and nephews, too many to list but certainly not forgotten.

This list would not be complete without mentioning Ray’s incredible friends, many of whom are so close they are happily considered family.  Ray had an uncanny ability to keep up with so many people from different generations and places across his life, whether it be his Sigma Nu brothers from Samford University, his dental school colleagues and students, people met while traveling and speaking internationally, or friends met in any of the wonderful locations he called home.  The family is so grateful for the presence of these friends, and for all they did for Ray throughout his life.

Finally, Ray handled his cancer diagnosis with dignity and grace.  He fought a brave battle to the end when he left on his terms peacefully and surrounded by his loved ones.  The family takes comfort in knowing that he is back with his beloved Joan and surrounding us with love from above.  Still, he will be greatly missed but forever in our hearts.

We ask that in lieu of flowers, those who wish to show their love make a contribution to the Lash-Williams-Howell-Stevens fund at the Harvard Dental School via the following link: https://hsdm.harvard.edu/williamsfund