In Memory of Robert L. Williams - Friend and Colleague

Rob Williams, 38, beloved son of Dr. David&Janet Williams, on Oct. 26, 2009 lost his long battle with bipolar depression which he had kept at bay so successfully for almost 20 years.

Born October 7, 1971 in Nashville, Tennessee, Rob moved to California with his parents when he as 9 months old and always considered himself a native.  He attended Laguna Blanca, Santa Barbara, The Thacher School in Ojai and Wesleyan University, Conn., where he received a B.A. with Honors in the College of Social Studies, a selective program combining history, philosophy, government and economics.

Following his college years he worked as a Project Director / Campaign Coordinator for Calpirg (California Public Interest Research Group) and Cybersite, a website design company in Portland, OR, founded by three of his Thacher classmates.  He later attended Oregon State University and obtained a M.S. in Forestry, Social Science and Policy with a concentration in conflict management.  This led to a career working as a mediator at RESOLVE and The Meridian Institute. Rob was an active member of the Association for Conflict Resolution Environment and Public Policy Section. He helped spearhead the "mid-level practitioners" network in recent years and served on the EPP Leadership Council for the past year. Rob also helped organize of the Mentoring Workshop at the June 2009 EPP Conference in Denver.

Always a gifted athlete as well as an excellent student, Rob participated in many sports; individual: tennis, fencing and golf as well as team: baseball, basketball and his favorites, soccer and lacrosse.  When he was a freshman in college the intermittent back and leg pain which he had experienced from the age of ten became quite severe and he was diagnosed as having Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) arthritis of the spine.  That put an end to college sports.  But over the years he learned to control his condition with medication and exercise – lots of exercise – stretching, yoga, swimming, cycling and with all the cross training even running.  That evolved into an interest in triathlons – lots of them.  He became a ranked amateur ultimately qualifying three times for the National team.  In 2008 he represented the United States on Team U.S.A. competing in the long course world championship in Alemere, the Netherlands.

In October, 2001, Rob, with his friend Sandra Uesugi, undertook an unsupported ride across America, from Washington D.C. to Santa Barbara to raise funds for and awareness of AS.  He spoke at medical schools along the route hoping to make the young doctors more aware of the symptoms so that it may lead to an earlier diagnosis instead of the usual nine years.

Rob approached life with passion and inspired others to do so.  He was known his big grin and even bigger hugs, for planning the parties and even cooking the food.  Life was an adventure from hiking, backing and canoeing with his family; snow skiing, windsurfing and mountain biking with his cousin Brian (aided and encouraged by his Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Dave); to climbing Mount Rainer and trekking through Europe for six weeks with his beloved sister, Elizabeth.  He loved his family and friends and kept in touch with both.  Only those closest to him knew of the battle that went on inside and the mental and physical pain he fought for so long.

That battle is over – now he is at peace.  He’s safe in the arms of our Heavenly Father where he joins his sister, Elizabeth, and his grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. L.A. Williams and Rev. and Mrs. A.H. Kaitschuk.  Here on earth he is loved, mourned and missed by his parents, his aunts and uncles:  Phyllis and David Grey, Ventura, CA; Emily Williams, Creve Coeur, MO.; Nancy and Frank Beagle, Kankakee, IL; Arnie and Trina Kaitschuk, Lake Oswego, IL; Sarah and Ron Greb, Imperial, MO; also his cousin Brian Grey, with whom he shared many adventures and considered a brother and Sabrina, South Lake Tahoe, CA, and many cousins and other relatives in the Midwest.  He leaves behind many loved and loving co-workers, teammates and friends, especially Kelly McKean, Portland, OR.

A memorial service was held Sunday, November 15, 3 p.m. at El Montecito Presbyterian Church in Santa Barbara, CA. A gathering was also held in Portland, OR on November 7, and two others in Dillon, Colorado, and Washington D.C.  In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent to S.A.A. (Spondylitis Association of America) P.O.Box 5872, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413, or the Surfrider Foundation. Please also visit In Memory of Rob Williams on Facebook to share memories of Rob.