Hubert “Hu” Williston, MD, passed away on the morning of March 9 at St. Luke’s hospital in Houston, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Ann Williams, five children, and ten grandchildren: daughter Kelly Kates (David and daughters Ella and Anna of Littleton, CO); Kyra Schlining (Brian and daughters Aine and Maia of Pacific Grove, CA); Kande Williston (Rob Sherlock, son Kieran and daughter Cora of Pacific Grove, CA); Patrick Williston (Paula Bartemucci and daughters Chloë and Wren of Smithers, BC); Luke Williston (daughter Sasha and son Felix of Tofino, BC); and also step children Thomas Morgan Williams (Katherine of Warr Acres, OK), Duncan Williams (Pascaline and children Anaëlle, Elise, and Constant of Maisons Laffitte, France).

Hu was born to Gladys and Ray Williston in Drumheller, Alberta. The family lived briefly in New Westminster and Prince George before settling in Victoria. Hu had two sisters, Dianne (Joe Pagurut of Cranbrook, BC) and Sandy (Jo Dunn of Parksville, BC). He graduated from Mount Doug in 1960, where he was voted best “Personality.” He met wife Carolyn McCammon while studying at Victoria College and they were married in 1964. Hu completed his medical degree in 1967 and went on to intern in Montreal where eldest daughter Kelly was born. He then worked on behalf of Canadian External Aid in Lagos and Kanji, Nigeria, where daughters Kyra and Kande were born. After three years in Africa, the family moved to Terrace where sons Patrick and Luke were born.

In 1975, Hu moved to Texas where he would run a busy family practice office in Baytown supported by a large and loving staff for many years. Hu loved practicing medicine and was a strong advocate for underserved and uninsured people. He was known to see patients for free. He delivered babies at patients’ homes when they were unable to afford the hospital. Hu believed a physician should be someone “who can care for the entire family, is available and is concerned with them as people.” Hu continued his work as a physician until his final days—over 50 years of service—attending patients at clinics throughout the greater Houston area.

Shaped by a childhood in the Canadian north, Hu’s life included many memorable outdoor adventures: camping, canoeing and ocean kayaking, and even mountain climbing in the Bugaboo Mountains of British Columbia. Hu had a great love of books and nearly filled his house with them. His interests were broad—languages, history, geography, religion, science, art, philosophy, classical literature. He generously shared this love with his wife, children, and grandchildren. No second-hand bookstore went unexamined, always with an eye for ways to enrich his family’s educational development.

Hu shared a passion for travel, movies, music, and life-long learning with Ann. He enjoyed meeting people, frequently starting conversations wherever they journeyed: Turkey, France, Spain, Portugal, Spain, Italy and England. He was insatiably curious and continued to take courses into his 80th year on nearly every subject imaginable.

Contributions in Hu Williston’s memory may be sent to Texas Medical Association Foundation (www.tmaf.org) for medical student scholarships and uninsured patient bills.