Winfred C Wang

Winfred C. Wang, M.D. (Win), beloved husband, parent, grandfather and accomplished physician, passed away on April 9, 2025 in Oakland, California at the age of 82 after a lengthy hospitalization following an automobile accident. Although he had grown up in Berkeley and lived in the Bay Area for many years earlier in his life, he considered Memphis, Tennessee, where he had primarily resided since his mid-30's, to be home.� He was a cherished friend, colleague and mentor to many in his Memphis community.�

Win was born on August 24, 1942 in Washington, D.C. to Kung Shou Wang and Lucy Chow Wang of China. In 1944 the Wang family moved to Boston, Massachusetts where Win's only brother, Arthur (Art), was born in 1949.� From there, the family moved to Berkeley, California where Win graduated from Berkeley High School in 1959, then from the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) where he majored in chemistry, in 1963. (Win was a true Cal Bear, supporting or following the football and basketball teams forever.)

Win graduated from the University of Chicago School of Medicine in 1967, completed pediatric training at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center, Bronx, New York and a senior residency year at Kauikeolani Children's Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii. He served in the United States Navy at St. Albans Hospital in New York. He also completed a pediatric hematology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and began his professional career in the Department of Pediatrics at the UCSF School of Medicine, serving as the Chief of the Newborn Nursery at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH).�

In 1979 Win moved to Memphis where he joined St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Department of Hematology/Oncology. He dedicated most of his career to caring for children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), including serving as the Chief of the Division of Hematology (1996-2004) and as Director of the NIH-funded St. Jude’s Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Center (2003-2008). He authored more than 200 original manuscripts on SCD and contributed, through his research efforts to a decline in mortality & morbidity in pediatric patients with SCD.�One of his noteworthy contribution was leading the NIH BABY HUG study the results of which have subsequently resulted in the use of hydroxyurea in children with SCD to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.

Win loved his patients and enjoyed participating in the annual summer camp activities for children with SCD. While the major focus of his career was with children with SCD, he also had a keen interest in other hemoglobinopathies and red blood cell disorders occurring in children.

He also enjoyed teaching and sharing knowledge and experiences with others, and was a mentor to many students, fellows and junior faculty pursuing academic research careers.

Win enjoyed travel, sports, spending time together with friends and family and� being a dog dad. With his wife Gayle, he criss-crossed the country in recent years, visiting numerous national park and monuments. One of his favorite places though was Maui, Hawaii which he and the family visited often. During his lifetime he ran numerous marathons (in the US and abroad), played tennis, indoor and outdoor soccer and even a little pickle ball. He followed many sports teams, from the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, the San Francisco 49ers and the Memphis Grizzlies and could be found most mornings reading the sports section with breakfast. Win loved having social plans with Gayle, enjoying meals and visits with friends and family. He was known for calmly asking a series of questions of each new person that was introduced to him and was always interested in hearing what one was doing professionally and personally. Win was loyally protected by his beloved dog, Dot, and preferred to keep her by his side rather than separate her from company or visitors who could fall victim to her aggressively protective instincts.���

He loved his grandchildren, Lucy, Hunter and Colton, and loved spending time with them, attending school events, taking walks, reading together, and just being with them.

Win is survived by his wife Gayle, with whom he had been married since 1997. He also leaves three children, Sheila Wang of Berkeley, CA, Sarah Thompson (Brent) of Spring Hill, TN, Bryan Shiba (Kim Cheng) of San Francisco, CA, and three grandchildren Lucy Wang, and Hunter and Colton Thompson.�He also leaves his brother Art Wang (Nancy) and other beloved family members.

A Celebration of Win's Life will be held on Sunday, June 22, 2025 from 1-4pm at the Memphis Botanic Garden's Sara's Place. Dress is casual and bright colors are encouraged as Win loved bright colors. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org/give) or to a charity of your choice.