Dr. William Thomas Butler

Dr. Butler was a man known for his integrity and honesty. With a gentle demeanor, he led by example and inspired people with his understated caring and dedication.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts on the 10th of August 1932, Dr. Butler was raised in Webster Groves outside St Louis, Missouri, graduated from Oberlin College and then earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University in 1958. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and he further honed his research skills while working at the National Institutes of Health. From there, in 1966 Dr. Butler moved to Houston joining the faculty at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). The city and institution would remain his home and passion for the next half century. In appreciation for his efforts, BCM awarded Dr. Butler an honorary degree from the medical school in 2016.

As an accomplished researcher, Dr. Butler first served as Head of the Immunology Section in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, but others soon recognized his leadership potential in medical education. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1979 to further these skills as he first served as Dean of Admissions, and ultimately President and Dean of BCM, a position he served for 18 years. During his term as President, he led the school through a time of unprecedented growth while recruiting superb scientists from around the country to establish BCM as a research powerhouse. After that he served as Chancellor and then Chancellor Emeritus, before returning at age 76 to serve as Interim President for two additional years, providing stability and strategic vision essential for the school at that time.

Dr. Butler was a devoted advocate in support of budding scientists and increased representation of minorities in the medical profession, serving for many years as Chairman of the W. M. Keck Foundation Distinguished Scholars Program Selection Committee. He was Chairman of Project 3000 by 2000, an initiative of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to attract minority students and others to science and medicine. Under his leadership, BCM established the Center for Educational Outreach to improve minority representation in the health professions. In addition, under his leadership, BCM also enhanced partnerships with the DeBakey High School for Health Professions, began a program for mentoring Hispanic high school students in the Texas Rio Grande Valley, and recruited strong candidates to increase diversity within BCM.

Dr. Butler, a life-long student of history with an appreciation of its institutional importance, was instrumental in ensuring the Michael E. DeBakey Museum and Library remained at and was built at Baylor College of Medicine. As the College’s Historian, at the time of his death, he had just completed the last of a five-volume history of BCM, perhaps his most enduring legacy.

Dr. Butler made many contributions at the national level as well, serving as Chairman of the Council of Deans of the AAMC and then as Chairman of the AAMC. He was elected to membership in the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Butler was an advocate for Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals and the care of veterans. He was a member of the Veterans Affairs Special Medical Advisory Group (SMAG), serving as Chair. SMAG is comprised of distinguished medical experts and advises the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on matters related to health care delivery, research and education. He was President of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, was Chairman of the Clinical Trials Network of Texas, and served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Academic Health Centers and the Points of Light Foundation. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of Browning-Ferris, Inc., C. R. Bard, Inc., and Lyondell Chemical Company, where he also served as Chairman of the Board.

He was active in many civic organizations as well, serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Partnership and on the Board of Trustees of the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast.

Throughout his career, Dr. Butler was the recipient of many awards, including the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the Exceptional Service Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the inaugural Dan Duncan Trustee Award for Exceptional Service from Baylor College of Medicine in recognition of his service as Interim President. He was also honored with the Caring Spirit Award from the Institute of Religion and the Roy M. Huffington Award for Excellence from the Huffington Center on Aging.

Married almost 40 years ago, Dr. Butler was as devoted to his wife, Carol, as she was to him. Together they traveled the world, cooked and entertained, but knew no greater happiness than quietly enjoying each other’s company at home.

He was a devoted father and is survived by his three children and their spouses: Marilyn Butler and Bruce Freeman of Portland, Oregon; Thomas and Amy Butler of Bellaire, Texas; and Robin Butler and Janelle Rettig of Iowa City, Iowa. He was a very proud and loving grandfather to two grandsons, who adored him: William and Clayton Butler of Bellaire, Texas. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Lydia Pike of Kerrville, Texas; his sister-in-law, Debra Chomout of Richmond, Texas; his niece Lenore Mensik and her husband Darren of Richmond, Texas; and his nephew Kristopher Chomout and his wife Emily of Sugar Land, Texas.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six until eight o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 26th of September 2017, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

At a later date, the family will gather for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

In his honor, Baylor College of Medicine is hosting a public Memorial Service at six o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 3rd of October, in the Cullen Auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Houston Symphony, or to Baylor College of Medicine directed toward any of the following: The William T. Butler and Carol A. Butler Endowed Fund for the Baylor College of Medicine Central Archives; The William T. Butler, M.D. Endowed Scholarship; or The Elkins Pancreas Center.