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William Woolverton Obituary
Madison, MS
Dr. William L. Woolverton, 62, passed away at University of Mississippi Medical Center on June 13, 2013. A Birmingham, AL native, Dr. Woolverton attended the University of the South: Sewanee, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1972. He earned a Ph.D. in 1977 at the University of Chicago. Bill completed postdoctoral training at the Medical College of Virginia. In 1980, he returned to the University of Chicago and became the Director of the Drug Abuse Research Center. In June 1993, he arrived at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and served as Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior for over two decades. He was also named the Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor. Bill was a gifted mentor, training dozens of graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and junior faculty members.
Bill was a devoted father, Alabama football fan, avid guitar player, lover of The Band and played a mean version of "The Weight." Always interested in physical pursuits, he enjoyed cycling, running, hiking and driving the family's restored Blythe boat on the Black Warrior River. He embraced all people, helping them with humility and grace. A student of philosophy and all religions, Bill searched not for the meaning of life, but for a life with meaning.
"Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure, nor this thing nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing." - William Butler Yeats
Bill is survived by wife Candiss Woolverton and children, William Christopher and Lucy Susan Woolverton; sister Virgina Woolverton, DVM, of Adger, AL; sister Martha Woolverton, Ph.D., of Asheville, NC; brother and sister-in-law Robert H. and Patt Woolverton and niece Margot Blaire of Birmingham, AL; and many colleagues and trainees from all over the country.
Visitation at Wright & Ferguson at 1161 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland on Sunday, June 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials and financial contributions can be made to the Woolverton Scholarship Fund, PO Box 12974, Jackson, MS, 39236-2974.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for William Woolverton
Mary Olimski Spriggs
August 19, 2022
I remember Bill with admiration and affection. He was truly a Renaissance man. I worked wit7h him at the University of Chicago 1987-1988 and was honored to introduce him to aviation.
Jonathan Kamien
August 13, 2013
I was Bill's first graduate student. He had a profound and lasting positive influence on my life. I miss him greatly.
Richard Young
June 21, 2013
It's been a few years since I touched base with Bill but I'll remember him as a warm, kind and thoughtful person - one of the good guys!
Emily aka "Juliet" Nonnemacher
June 20, 2013
A continuation on "What I learned from Dr. Woolverton":
1. First-born children are always early for everything and are special. You can always use being a first-born as an excuse for pretty much anything.
2. Kindness is more important than intelligence.. says the most brilliant man ever (Well, at least in the state of MS)
3. Most times the simplest way is the best way.
4. It's better to answer "I don't know" than to try and sound smart by yammering on and on. When you try and talk yourself out of a question when you don't have the answer, you'll look stupid.
5. When a student finishes working for Dr. Woolverton he tells you that from then on you should call him "Bill"… Yeah, that still doesn't feel right.
I'm so glad to know such a special person. He mentored me on so much more than science and did so long after I was "gone" from working for him. Gosh, I'll miss you.
Rebecca & Shane Langston
June 20, 2013
Candy, Chris & Lucy
Shane, Jaqe and I are so sorry to hear of your loss. We have fond memories of you guys through St Andrews. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Rebecca & Shane Langston
Jaqe Johnson
Lisa and Pasquale Di Raddo
June 18, 2013
It has been so long since the years spent at the U of C. I will always remember Bills laugh. His light and joy will shine on. We are sad for you all. Our prayers and love sent across the miles.
June 18, 2013
Candy & family,
We are so sorry to hear the sad news. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all. Joe and CeCe Pecha (Papillion, NE)
Jillian Broadbear
June 18, 2013
What a sad shock. I met Bill just after I moved to the US to work at the U of M with Jim Woods (1991). I will always remember Bill as a big man with a gentle and kind heart. CPDD won't be the same without him. My deepest sympathy to Bill's family - he will be missed.
June 17, 2013
Candy, Chris & Lucy,
We remember the extended family parties when all of you were in Omaha fondly & the laughs we shared. We are so sorry for your loss, but have all of you in our hearts & prayers. Bruce & Suzi (Omaha, NE)
Cliff Bagwell
June 17, 2013
Though it has been years since we grew up on Cherry Street and went from Crestline to MBJH to MBHS together I still have fond memories of growing up with Bill. Gina, Martha, and Bobby, my thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. God bless.
Billy Hartsfield
June 17, 2013
I remember Bill very fondly growing up on Winston Way in Birminham. I have not spoken to him in many years however we have some good memories of our youth.
Mary Jeanne Kallman
June 17, 2013
I have many fond memories of Bill. He will be missed after a long friendship that goes back to days at MCV. He was the best!
David Gauvin
June 17, 2013
My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Bill will be missed by all who knew him. He was great colleague and friend. His contributions to science has enriched us all.
Jimmy Davis
June 17, 2013
Although I have not seen any of the Woolvertons in years, I do remember great times growing up on Cherry Street. We were so sorry to hear of Bill's death. All of my sisters and brother join me in sending our deepest sympathies.
June 17, 2013
You want a physicist to speak at your funeral. You want the physicist to talk to your grieving family about the conservation of energy, so they will understand that your energy has not died. You want the physicist to remind your sobbing mother about the first law of thermodynamics; that no energy gets created in the universe, and none is destroyed. You want your mother to know that all your energy, every vibration, every Btu of heat, every wave of every particle that was her beloved child remains with her in this world. You want the physicist to tell your weeping father that amid energies of the cosmos, you gave as good as you got.
And at one point you'd hope that the physicist would step down from the pulpit and walk to your brokenhearted spouse there in the pew and tell him that all the photons that ever bounced off your face, all the particles whose paths were interrupted by your smile, by the touch of your hair, hundreds of trillions of particles, have raced off like children, their ways forever changed by you. And as your widow rocks in the arms of a loving family, may the physicist let her know that all the photons that bounced from you were gathered in the particle detectors that are her eyes, that those photons created within her constellations of electromagnetically charged neurons whose energy will go on forever.
And the physicist will remind the congregation of how much of all our energy is given off as heat. There may be a few fanning themselves with their programs as he says it. And he will tell them that the warmth that flowed through you in life is still here, still part of all that we are, even as we who mourn continue the heat of our own lives.
And you'll want the physicist to explain to those who loved you that they need not have faith; indeed, they should not have faith. Let them know that they can measure, that scientists have measured precisely the conservation of energy and found it accurate, verifiable and consistent across space and time. You can hope your family will examine the evidence and satisfy themselves that the science is sound and that they'll be comforted to know your energy's still around. According to the law of the conservation of energy, not a bit of you is gone; you're just less orderly. Amen.
-Aaron Freeman.
Angie Smith
June 16, 2013
Candy, in my mind I can hear Bill playing his harmonica at Po Monkeys, with nothing except laughter and joy all around. I didn't know him well, but I feel I glimpsed his inner soul that day . . and it was pure beauty. Much, much love to you, Chris, and Lucy.
Dwight Prince
June 16, 2013
Candi, I'm shocked and praying for you and your family.
It isn't the amount of time you spend with someone but the quality of the time you spend.
Peggy ( Tilly) Montgomery
June 16, 2013
So many happy memories of our days on Cherry Street.Love and sympathy to Ginna, Martha and Bobby and all the family.
Pam Tilly
June 16, 2013
Ginna, Martha, and Bobby -- I'm so sad to hear that Bill passed away. Sending you blessings if comfort.
June 16, 2013
....a loss for all mankind.
Michaell Taylor
June 16, 2013
Such a shock to all of us. Our thoughts are with the family. Our deepest condolences.
Kveta Slobodnikova
June 16, 2013
Warm Summer Sun
Warm summer sun,
Shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind,
Blow softly here.
Green sod above,
Lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear heart,
Good night, good night.
By Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
The Poetry Foundation
Residents of SIena I-SCV
June 16, 2013
We were so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts of many are with you at this time of sorrow.
June 16, 2013
I remember Bill as smart,kind and tall in the Mountain Brook school system.Sorry we lost him.
TED CROCKETT
Sydney Orr
June 15, 2013
Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to Bill's wife and family. We only got to see each other a few times in our adult lives, but I do want to remember Bill as one of the River kids and all the fun we use to have. I will miss you.
We will be praying for Bill's wife and children and my cousins Bobby, Martha, and Gina.
The Staff of Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home-Parkway Memorial Cemetery
June 16, 2013
Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.
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