Murray Thompson '72
Student
Dr. Williams was one of my favorite professors during my years at HMC and one of my most important mentors who made a lifelong impact on me both personally and professionally. I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing.
Russell Merris '64
Student/Friend
HMC was founded on a vision for which there were few if any models. Above and beyond outstanding engineers, mathematicians and/or scientists, Mudd graduates were to be broadly educated, socially responsible leaders “with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.” The challenge of turning that vision into reality fell to Joseph B. Platt. Despite budgetary constraints, Joe managed to assemble a faculty with the academic credentials to be taken seriously, the courage to take a leap into the unknown, and the creativity to design a curriculum that surrendered a third of its precious core disciplinary class time to the humanities and social sciences. Along the way he seems to have expected that such a faculty would just naturally be comprised of gifted teachers – an expectation that, apart from a few shining exceptions, was belied by attrition rates in the first four classes that approached 50%.
It goes without saying that Harry Williams ranked among the shining exceptions. For all I know his 1960 recruitment served as the model on which HMC subsequently built a faculty that excelled in both teaching AND professional achievement. Be that as it may, Harry, himself, was a role model for my own 40-year professorial career, riding a bicycle to campus not excepted.
I think it was Harry’s participation in my 45th reunion that precipitated his transition from former teacher to friend. The breakthrough came over lunch when we discovered a shared connection to former UCSB Chancellor Huttenback and a shared dismay over the dismantling of the HMC library. The last time I saw Harry was in May 2014, again over lunch, this time during my 50th reunion. Seemingly healthy, happy, and as physically and mentally vigorous as ever, I remember him asking how the Egyptians derived a formula for the volume of a pyramid without calculus.
While wanting to go suddenly may be selfish – it is, after all, a shock to survivors – nevertheless, it is certainly the way I would choose for myself.
Goodbye, Harry. You will be missed.
Lisa Roeckner Hebert '80
Student
Feeling very sad about this news. I remember Professor Williams and value all the many things he had to offer his students. He will be sorely missed.
Robert De Pietro '69
Student, Advisee and Admirer
Professor Williams was my senior year Advisor and Advisor for my Senior Year Engineering Project.
When Professor Duron and I first spoke of the idea of a Fellowship Program in research, I recalled my Senior Year Engineering Project and how meaningful and sucessful it was under the direction and mentoring of my Advisor, Professor Williams. I feel that the Fellowhip Program, in some ways, mirrors the Senior Project.
When I was accepted to Graduate School At UC Berkeley, Professor William advised me to go since he knew they were doing state of the art research there in structures and in the development of Finite Element Analysis.
I also had the experience of taking a senior year Structural Mechanics Elective from Professor Williams. I was the only student in the class.
We developed a relationship that speaks of him and the essence of the HMC Education.
At Alumni Weekend in 1999 I was given the honor to introduce Professor Williams as was made an Honorary Alumnus by the Alumni Board of Governors.
I will miss him when I come to campus or to College functions. For me, Harry represents a strong personal connection to HMC.
Zee Duron '81
Advisee, colleague, friend
There are so many memories of Harry. Mine include my time as his student in Solids, as his advisee, and as one of his many faculty colleagues in Claremont. Harry was a scholar who sought out simple solutions to complex problems, who thought carefully about how things worked, and who illustrated his approach through his wonderfully vivid calligraphy. Upon his retirement, Harry gave me his academic regalia. Every time I wore his robe I could feel his presence, and for that closeness, I will be forever grateful.