William Healey

February 11, 1931 - April 30, 2015
Dr. William Vincent Healey, Jr., age 84, passed away in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday, April 30, 2015. A family service was held at Holy Family Catholic Church in Fort Worth, Texas on May 4th with the Rev. Jeff Poirot officiating.

Dr. Healey was born on February 11, 1931 in New York, New York to Dr. William V. Healey and Mabel Keating Healey. He graduated from The Loyola School in New York City in 1948. He earned a B.A. from Princeton University in 1952 and M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1956. Dr. Healey served from 1957 through 1960 in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, N.A.S. Kenitra, Morocco. He returned to Columbia P&S and completed his residency in surgery, becoming an instructor and Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia.

Dr. Healey, known by most as Bill, was married to Joan Edmondson from 1957 to 1976, and they had three children: William III, David, and Hilary. The family resided in Greenwich, Connecticut, following his service in the Navy. Dr. Healey served as an attending surgeon at Greenwich Hospital, and at the Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.

In 1976, Bill became Director of Surgery at Coryell Memorial Hospital in Gatesville, Texas. He married Celia Powell in 1977. In 1979 they moved to San Antonio, Texas where they lived for 35 years and raised their two sons, Peter and Michael. Dr. Healey was Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio, where he worked on the development of a total permanent artificial heart.

Dr. Healey authored numerous scholarly and scientific articles and was a respected medical consultant and innovator in the payment of healthcare. He pursued many passions including writing, gardening, breeding Labrador retrievers and training quarter horses.

Bill was a force of nature, a brilliant, driven genius of a man who will be missed. He will be remembered for his humor, intelligence, and passion. He was loved very much by many and our lives were deeply affected by him.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents and his son David Huber Healey. He is survived by his wife, Celia Healey, sister Jane Engel of Princeton, New Jersey, and children: William Vincent Healey, III M.D. and wife Linda Peters of Seattle, WA; Hilary Healey Watson and husband Joseph D. Watson of Greenwich CT; Peter Ross Healey and wife Ashley Healey of Fort Worth, TX; and Michael Paul Healey of College Station, TX. Bill is also survived by grandchildren Caroline Healey, Ben Healey, Josie Watson, Jane Watson, Preston Healey, and Mary Paige Healey.

A memorial celebration will be held in San Antonio, Texas on June 20, 2015 at Paloma Blanca Restaurant from 2pm to 4pm.

Donations in memory may be made to Coryell Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1507 West Main Street, Gatesville, TX 76528 or to the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association, PO Box 841125, Dallas, TX 75284-1125 or at www.heart.org.