Peter S. MacWilliams
September 16, 1945 - January 1, 2014

"He was my professor in veterinary school at UW Madison. I remember his teaching skill and gentle personality. I can only guess at the huge number of people he influenced over his long career."

"I am late in hearing this news, but no less devastated. If it weren't for Dr. MacWilliams, I would have never become a DVM and gone on to work in over 30 countries on global health projects. I know his legacy lives on in each of us that his life touched, but also in the lives of those we went on to serve. God bless his family and his memory."

"Even though this post is late I feel compelled to express my feelings. Dr MacWilliams was one of the kindest, compassionate and motivating people I have had the pleasure of working with. I was one of his students who learned more than just clin path. I experienced first hand his passion for veterinary medicine and teaching. I can't thank Dr MacWilliams enough for his gifts."

"It is with great sadness that I heard of the passing of Pete. I remember him from my days at WCVM as a kind, generous and giving individual. During those WCVM years, I remember Pete as a calm, hard working professional with a great mind and a big heart. Pete was always there with words of support, encouragement and always with a smile and twinkle in his eyes. He will be missed by many; however, there is some comfort in knowing that he touched the hearts and souls of many. My deepest sympathy goes out to Gale and his family. May he rest in peace"

"Saying "good-bye" to an old friend and colleague is difficult. Please accept this poem in remembrance of Pete. Peter, Peter, Peter... You are younger than I, it is way too early for you to leave You gave so much and you still wanted to give more... You asked me when you could come and help me with histology again .....but I had already been retired for a couple of years "Oh!" you said, "then I better call Tim and see if he needed any help in the Parasitology's teaching labs." It was sad to say "good bye" to you the other day I seems like just yesterday, ... that you and I spoke about what the first class of veterinary students should know about bone marrow ... that you and I fished in a snow storm off your pier to get a fresh fish for Heather's high school biology class ... that you and I put the new microwave in my kitchen ... that we got our sons to paint my house to keep them busy for the summer and put some money in their pockets ... that Gail and Becky and you and I shared huge steaming plates of Chinese food And ... that our families gathered in your basement to play Pictionary, and we laughed so hard that we all had tears running down our cheeks. I must apologize that I did not visit you while your mind slowly moved in ways and to places you never wanted or intended I was afraid that I might see that you had become the person I did not know, and no longer the one excited and committed to start and to grow a whole new School of Veterinary Medicine. I owe you much my old friend. I owe you so many thanks that the list is too long to speak and will have to remain in my heart and my memory Pete, we had a good adventure together, and I will miss you. John 2014 "

"We missed you when you retired so much. We loved your sense of humor, and being able to laugh with you. We still laugh about needing more chalk joke. And the item we hid in your office. You were Aces, and we will always miss you."

"After reading the many truly representative memories of Pete, I also want to offer my condolences to Pete's family. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to know and work with Pete at the Marshfield Clinic. He was intensely dedicated to best serve our animal patients and our veterinary clients. His ability and his effort to communicate his diagnoses with our veterinary clients and with our staff were outstanding. I have only good and valued memories of Pete."

"I can only reiterate what has already been said. Dr. MacWilliams was a delight to know and an inspiration to those who knew him. He was so supportive of our veterinary technicians---always available to give excellent seminars & presentations at our technician conferences, supportive of our technician association, and always with good humor. I took his enthusiasm for clinical pathology into my classroom, hoping that I was able to share the same with my students. Thank you Pete! You shall be greatly missed. "

"I knew Dr. MacWilliams from working at the UW Veterinary School. He was a nice man and I was sad to see this. My condolences to the family. "

"Dr. MacWilliams was one of the best teachers I have ever had, and I've had quite a few! He was an excellent teacher and a very kind man. What great contributions he made to teaching and to veterinary medicine. He will be very much missed by many, many people."

"When Pete and I were kids we played a lot of football in his back yard on James St. in Rochdale a hamlet between Pleasant Valley and the town of Poughkeepsie.We Skated on Frank Bros. property with Bruce Stupfer who also passed away recently. We rowed the hudson river in eight man shells,winning many regattas. I was proud tobe an old friend of his and want to extend my sympathy to all that loved him."

"As I moved to Poughkeepsie in junior high, I only knew Pete as a wonderful, and kind classmate through junior high and high school years! So sorry to hear of his passing. He was truly a good person and friend."

"Peter was a mentor and a good friend for the years we shared teaching and clinical pathology responsibilities at LSU and long after. Pete's warm personality - and his great sense of humor - was an instant winner for me when I interviewed for the second clinical pathology position at LSU - we had a great dinner at Ralph and Kacoo's in Baton Rouge. We worked together for 2 years before he left for Madison and I learned a great deal from him about clinical pathology and teaching. A few years later we worked on the ACVP exam committee together and it was always Pete's sense of humor at our dinners after a long day of writing the exam or administering the exam that I will remember most. The other thing I will always remember about Pete is how much he loved to teach and how much he loved his family - both came through loud and clear if you spent any time at all with him. Barbara and I send our sincere condolences to Gale and the rest of the family."

"The veterinary community weeps. Dr. MacWilliams was a master of unraveling a case based on history and lab results. His experiences were many and varied -truly America's James Herriot! You are missed. My sympathy to his family."

"I first met Pete in about 5th grade when his family moved to our neighborhood. We hung around, skated, played basketball, and did kid stuff over the years. Remember the firecracker buzz bomb that exploded over Mrs. Howell's house? He was a good friend, and I was honored when he asked me to be his best man when he and Gale married. Over the years, our paths diverged, but I never lost my respect and fondness for Pete. Ginnie (my wife of 45 years and Pete's neighbor way back when ... now that I think of it, Pete may have been the one who suggested I ask her for a date), and I visited Pete and Gale in 2011. We are so happy we reconnected, so sorry that it was the last time. Gale and family, we are sorry. Paul & Ginnie Smith Colchester, Vermont"

"When I think back to the challenges of starting the veterinary medicine program, I think of how wonderful Dr MacWilliams was. He was a teacher and a friend. He had such a unique and rare gift that he openly shared daily with everyone. Our profession is so blessed to have had his presence and he will be sadly missed. My thoughts go to his amazing wife Gale and their family. "

"Pete was my mentor, and my friend. He was for many years that father figure who provided laughter, love, wisdom and support. I truly believe my career, and part of the person I am today was influenced by Pete. I will forever miss him. I feel honored and blessed to have had him in my life."

"I post here thoughts of my colleague Pete that I first shared on the SVM list after his retirement in July of 2007. I will miss Pete but I am so proud to have had him as a founding faculty colleague. Pete: I have been reflecting on the occasion of your retirement party, perhaps because I felt that I should have contributed more to your recognition than I did and also because my reflection has led me to perceive that all the accolades of others, while accurate and generous, did not deal sufficiently with an aspect of your contributions to the school and the profession that I value most. Your niche was relatively unique and as a founding faculty member, was established early on. Few among us have responsibilities on all four floors of the school and many venues outside the school, few among us interact with as broad a spectrum of the SVM community from administration to academic staff to students, to the profession outside; thus few (if any) among us have such a profound understanding of how this place works. From the beginning the influence of your personality, replete with a sense of fairness and humor, and the span of your professional experiences has contributed to the growth of our culture and our community at the SVM. Precisely, it is these personal qualities that are so generally recognized by those who know you but are not easily iterated specifically by awards appropriate for inclusion in your CV that you have made your greatest contribution to the growth and stature of the SVM. The breadth of your niche and the personal qualities that make you who you are have provided a major part of the binding matrix of this community. Your influence throughout and at many levels has culminated in a culture and stature that makes all of us proud to say that we are at Wisconsin. Thank you, Pete. Thank you. "

"Dr. MacWilliams was a wonderful teacher and truly instrumental in my career as a pathologist. He was amazingly skilled at teaching complicated material in an uncomplicated and interesting way. He was so kind and approachable with all his students. He will continue to be a mentor to me, and likely many others, long after his passing. My deepest sympathies to his family. We were so lucky to have met him. "

"Pete was a wonderful instructor ( I can still hear his voice explaining a clin. path. lesson) and a kind and patient person. He will be missed by all who knew him. His family and friends are in my prayers."

"I was in vet school 25 years ago, yet my memories of Pete are clear as if it were yesterday. He was my favorite teacher- kind, funny, generous of his time and talents, and smart as a whip! He always floored me with the volumes of detail he could recall at the drop of a hat. Many years later he remembered me when I consulted with him at Marshfield labs. We should all be so lucky as him- to have touched so many lives in such a positive way. We are all blessed to have known him."

"I was in the very first class at the Veterinary School in Madison. I didn't earn my DVM but I received so much more than that. Pete was a wonderful gentleman, professor and, I hope, a friend. He and his co-workers helped me with things were rough and when they weren't. He and Chet Thomas had a wonderful friendship and I enjoyed watching the two of them interact. I know I couldn't have gotten as far as I did without him."

"As a mentor to me Pete influenced me greatly. Using his teaching style as an example has served me very well and I am grateful to have known him and worked with him."

"Pete was a special teacher, mentor and genuinely wonderful human being. His spirit lives in each of the lives he touched. "

"I knew Pete was a special instructor when I was a student. His enthusiasm for the subject was so clear, that to this day I can still hear his voice when I am looking at a CBC under the microscope. What I didn't realize is what a special person he is in general, until I happened to get him on the phone at Marshfield, 20 years later, and he remembered me! Pete had a rare generosity of the spirit, that helped to fashion the careers of many. I wish I had the chance to tell him how much he helped brighten the lives of others, just by being himself. My condolences to his family."

"Dr. MacWilliams was so very special. I especially remember how supportive he was of the new parents in our class ('95) when so many babies were born. A few years ago when I was pregnant I was exposed to Blasto which he diagnosed in my patient while he was at Marshfield Laboratories. My OB wouldn't answer my questions, my primary wouldn't touch it, but Dr. MacWilliams answered all my questions. He was always so generous with his time and willing to share his knowledge."

"I met Dr. MacWilliams later in his career when he came to work for Marshfield Labs. The connections and respect that he had from those he taught and worked with at the Vet School never ceased to amaze me. He was a kind and generous man who influenced many. He was devoted to his family and my thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time."

"To the MacWilliam family, I'm sorry to hear of Peter's passing. Stacie,Matt and the girls I'm sending hugs your way."

"Pete was a very gifted teacher, making Clinical Pathology one of my favorite classes, and a sometimes confusing subject easy to learn. We will especially remember the Student Auxiliary get-togethers at Gale and Pete's place. Excellent food and hospitality, but especially the very spirited "White Elephant" gift exchanges. Tim and Pete were always counted on to "steal" the most outrageous gift and go to great lengths to hide it or redirect the interested party to another victim. Our deepest sympathy to Gale and family. Your fun loving personality and commitment to remind student families to have fun together during a rigorous program helped many couples keep their sanity!"

"Dr. MacWilliams was a fantastic and caring teacher! We all learned so much from him. I have missed his commentary as of late in our pathology reports from Marshfield. In school we used to compare antacids in terms of flavor while I was pregnant and he was awaiting his kidney transplant. My heart goes out to your family and you will always be remembered fondly. "

"Dr. MacWilliams had the rare quality of putting everyone before himself. He always took time to answer a question, never showed frustration and cared about you. He loved his grandkids and loved to share stories after discussing what he saw on a slide. What a great person, role model and teacher. We've all learned so much because of you. Thanks Pete. You will be greatly missed."

"We are grateful for Dr MacWilliams's contribution to the care of animals in Dane County as well as to the veterinary profession. A true gentleman and scholar, may he remain an example for all veterinary clinicians for generations to come. "

"Dr. MacWilliams was one of the most generous, patient and kind professors I had the privilege of knowing while attending UW Veterinary School. He always had time for his students and even as an alum, when I would call for a consult, he took as much time as I needed. May your family find comfort in knowing he touched more lives than they will ever know..... RIP Professor!"

"Pete McWilliams was one of those naturally gifted instructors who was able to make difficult concepts understandable and he did it effortlessly. So many of us can point to his clinical pathology lectures as among the best we have heard. It was a privilege to know him. I will always remember him as a man of gentle humor, compassion, support and enthusiasm. He gave so many the tools to help patients in their care that his legacy reaches far.."

"Our profession will be much the poorer without Pete, but he leaves an enduring personal and professional legacy. The knowledge he shared and the inspiration he was for veterinarians-to-be and older colleagues alike will endure."

"Pete was a fantastic colleague. Not only was he an outstanding teacher, he also brought great wisdom to the VMTH in practical matters of managing the practice. The patient was always his first concern. Working with Pete in the VMTH and on the WVMA board was gratifying. Despite health challenges, he always had a positive attitude, a wonderful sense of humor and a tremendous sense of fairness to his fellow man. Pete, you will be missed by many."

"I had the privilege of knowing Peter all of my professional and personal life which started in 3rd year veterinary school while he was a graduate student at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. He was born a star when it came to teaching , his knowledge and especially his wisdom in handling people was special. After a couple of years in small animal and mixed animal practices Peter and Gene Searcy came to Winnipeg to give course in Hematology. It was there, Peter suggested I should apply for Graduate School in Clin path. Six months later, life was transformed, the next two years were to be the best years of my learning career . I will always be indebted to Peter and Gail because they took me into their home for three months while I got my family moved back to Saskatoon. One of the things we did on a regular basis was Jog at noon hour. Running when it was -30 with a windchill of -40's coming back with white frost covering our heads was a regular occurrence . We usually ran 5 miles, we would have gone longer but we didn't have any more time. So Pete was real jock. He could outpace the most of us We learned even while we were exercising. He made me aware of how important exercise is in life. The road bike has become my passion. I think of Pete while I ride that bike everyday. What an inspiration. Academic experiences with Pete were numerous. Pathology noon hour seminars were given by the Pathology Department . It was a place to practice our presentation skills. The seminar Pete and I gave on Canine AlkPhos was one of the best ones we did together. I can still see him at he front of the lecture theatre it was a such a joy to watch and listen him talking he was such a natural. The students he taught were privileged I just hope they all realized how lucky they were to have him in school. Pete's struggle with health problems were always present . The lesson he taught me was indurance. He taught me that in spite of physical shortcomings life goes on and you can achieve some goals beyond your wildest imagination. To Pete and especially now Gail and their family A big hug with lots of love to all of you. Peter will always be part of my life he truly was a special friend and will always live in my heart . "

"I can hear his kind voice just looking at the photo. Thank you Dr. Mac for helping us get though the vet school program and then able to guide us in private practice with your work at Marshfield. Keep smiling down on us."

"Pete was a great inspiration. Everyone loved working with him. He was always kind and caring and had a great sense of humor. He delighted in his work and clearly cared not only for all of the animals but for everyone with whom he worked and for all of the students he taught over the years. He set the standard for both professional excellence and for humanity for so many of us. Heaven is lucky to have him. "

"Rest in Peace, my friend! We had many wonderful times while I worked at the SVM. Thanks for teaching me Clinical Pathology, much of which I still use in my teaching today. I was happy that my dad was able to give you the recipe for potato salad you had been looking for. You will have a special place in my and many others hearts forever."

"Dr. MacWilliams was truly one of the greatest professors I have ever had. He was an amazing teacher, but also a great person who took the time to get to know all of his students and supported them through challenging times. He will be missed. My sympathies go out to his family. "

"Beyond his exceptional teaching, Dr. MacWilliams took the time to get to know his students as individuals. He was a dear man and a kind soul. My most sincere sympathies to his family. "

"Dr. Mac Williams was one of the most wonderful teachers and human beings I had the pleasure of knowing during my vet school career, It is with great sadness that I hear of his passing. Heaven has a very beloved angel shining down on us all today...Rest in peace "

"Dr. Pete was truly a gift to all of his students and colleagues. His wit and good nature were unmatched! He will be missed greatly! Rest in Peace, my friend."

"Dr. MacWilliams was a wonderful person, a great instructor, and he will be missed by many. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. "

"Dr. MacWilliams was one of the most patient professors I had the pleasure to have. I could always tell he truly cared about the students and he always got to know them. He could bring a smile to my face anytime because he always had a fascinating and funny story to share. My sincere condolences."

"always a smiling face at the VMTH, you will be missed, but always remembered"

"Dr. MacWilliams always brought a smile to my face and brightened my day. There aren't many professors that have done that. He will certainly be missed"

"Dr. MacWilliams will always be in our hearts. He was such a great teacher and a wonderful person. I feel so fortunate to have known him. We will all miss him. My deep condolences to his family."

"Dr. MacWilliams was one of my favorite teachers and he will be dearly missed by all!"

"Dr. MacWilliams shaped innumerable veterinarians. We lost an incredibly kind soul that truly impacted our profession and its people. Godspeed, Dr. MacWilliams."

"Pete welcomed me to the SVM, and greatly aided me as a mentor and friend. He was a key part of the building of the SVM community. I am so sorry that he has gone, but know that he lives on in his students."

"A wonderful warm and caring man. A good soul. My thoughts are with his family and so many of my fellow veterinarians that will miss his good nature. Heaven is a better place."

"Dr. MacWilliams was one of the most memorable and influential professors of my veterinary schooling. My condolences to his family."

"What an amazing teacher and all around great guy! I remember him so fondly from my first year in vet school. Thank you Pmac for the wonderful introduction to my career. You will be greatly missed."

"One of the most instrumental, funniest, and kindest people in my veterinary education. My condolences and thoughts go to out to his family and friends. He touched SO many lives. You'll be missed greatly PMac."

""PMac" what a wonderful soul! Such a great teacher and mentor and always a joy to work along side as a student worker in the UW Clin Path lab. He was helpful to me in practice as well. Never too busy to consult on a difficult case. He will be missed by many, but his memory will live on."

"Pete was an awesome inspiration. He loved to teach and did so at every opportunity. His knowledge of veterinary medicine was unsurpassed. Pete had a great sense of humor--always wore haiwaiian shirts to work to keep things light. I remember when he had to give a eulogy for one of his students, Pete so struggled with what to say to the family and friends, but his words were both inspirational and comforting. I'm sure Carolee was there to welcome him home. We'll all miss him."

"I can not think of anyone more kind and caring than Pete to welcome all those souls yet to follow in 2014. He has always been a leader and mentor and I for one am glad he is there to welcome all those who pass this world. If I am met by Pete at the Pearly Gates I know there is a heaven...I just hope he lets me in."