Dr. Joseph Graves McWilliams

By M.E. McWilliams

Dr. McWilliams was a professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas (1985—2011). He had two Masters and a Ph.D from Southern Methodist University. He wrote the statistics textbook used for many years at SFA, donating all profits to scholarships for students.

He taught himself to build boats, bicycles, and motorcycles by reading books. He did the same to learn to play the Djembe drums, the Native American whistle, the didgeridoo, and the Irish whistle. Joe was the kind of man who butchered a hog, cleaned out a motorcycle engine, rode his bike to Diboll and back, reloaded some ammo, set out his crossbow for tomorrow’s hunt, then walked in the door with blood smeared on his shirt, to say, I think I’ll make some earrings!

He was a class favorite in Lake Charles High School where he played football and set several state records in track. Those Lake Charles friends were his for life. One woman posted on a high school email thread that one did not forget the kiss of Joe McWilliams!

He loved all things nautical. He maintained a website for a long time for nautical books and articles. He was a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving on a Pacific carrier as a jet engine mechanic. He built sailboats and raced in a number of regattas.

He was PaPa to girls Viv and Liz. He built them playground equipment that he personally designed. He loved his beagle Bea. He loved to fish with brother Bob. He loved to laugh and played practical jokes on friends, once convincing Dr. Miller to talk to a copier he thought was voice-activated (It was not!). He once saw that a woman couldn’t afford her glasses at the optometrist, so he bought them for her.

He inspired students. He asked them to dig deep. He did not put up with nonsense. But for those who wanted to learn—he was all in. Only I knew the secret: He didn’t give a failing final grade to any student who showed improvement.

He was a romantic. He drew the Harmonic Oscillator on the paper tablecloth at our first date, and I was smitten.

In July of 2011, five miles from his home, around 5:00 a.m.--Joe McWilliams and his motorcycle landed upside down in a ditch. That was the end of Joe as we had known him. But even yet—through the six-week coma—through almost a year of torturous rehab and then more years in health facilities—even yet—to the end--he was the great—the one and only--Dr. Joe McWilliams.

You can express your gratitude to Joe by donating to the Dr. Joe G. McWilliams Scholarship which benefits other students of math. Contact Sarah Sargent, Director of the SFA Advancement Services ([email protected]), and the story of Joe Mac will continue to be told.