In Memoriam e

R. C. WILLETT

1877-1960

I T IS difficult to write in memory of a colleague, a friend, and a fellow alumnus of Washington Wniversity, School of Dentistry. Life entails death; there-

fore, one must submit to the inevitable. In the death of Raymond Clair Willett of Peoria, Ill., dentistry for children has lost another pioneer and a faithful serva,nt. His name will long be remembered in the annals of dentistry.

R. C. WILLETT

Dr. Willett died Dec. 23, 1950, after a brief illness. He was active in his office until the week before the curtain fell. He was born on April 2’7, 1877, at Powesheik County, Iowa, of parents whose ancestry is well rooted in American history and tradition that date back to the days before theAmerican Revolution. It may be truly said that he was a pioneer and a descendant of pioneers.

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224 IN MEMORIAM

He is survived by his gracious widow, the former Miss Ruth Wheeler, and their daughter BIartha (Mrs. James Gaebe), and he is survived by his name, his works, a noble memory, and by a countless number of friends and admirers.

His scientific cont,ributions to dentist,ry for children and to orthodont,ics are too well known t,o be cited again. For these outstanding contributions to dentistry, Washington liniversity, his Alma Mater, conferred upon him, in 1941, t,he honorary degree of Doctor of Science. Similarly in 1946, the American Association of Orthodontists awarded him the highly esteemed Albert H. Ketcham ,2ward. With humility he accepted these honors and con- tinued until the very end t,o give his best.

His work for the children of Peoria is worthy of mention. He treated rich and poor alike. The dental clinics of the public schools of Peoria owe their existence to him and men like him.

Dr. Willett was president of Peoria District Dental Society in. 1913; life member of the Illinois State Dental Society and its vice-president in 1934; vice-president of the American Association of Orthodontists for three consecu- tive years, 1942, 1943: and 1944; charter member of the Chicago Association of Orthodontists and its president in 1935-1936; member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon ; a Fellow of the American College of Dentists; an Honorary member of the American Academy of Pedodontics. Dr. R. C. Willett left dent,istry and the world in a far bett,er shape than he found them. We owe him a debt of gratitude.

R. E. M.

WILLIAM A. (GUS) CLARKE, SIC, 1892-1950

0 NE OF the first men I met in the Southern Society of Orthodontists was Dr. William A. Clarke, Sr. Gus, as he was known to his friends, spent his

summers in my state of West Virginia, when he was a young man. He never failed tq talk about those summer vacations when we met at orthodontic meet- ings. So I counted myself one of Gus Clarke’s many friends.

His friendly mannerism and likeable personality made friends for him wherever he went..

Dr. William A. Clarke, Sr., was born Oct. 11, 1892, at Jefferson, Ga. He was the son of Alice Hunter Clarke and W. A. Clarke.

Reared in Athens, Ga., he attended the Southern Dental College in Atlanta, where he was graduated in 1915. He returned to Athens where he practiced until he entered the TJnited States Army and served at Camp Hancock in Augusta, Ga., with the rank of first lieutenant. Following his discharge he returned to Athens and continued his practice.

In 1925 he attended the University of Pennsylvania for postgraduate work in orthodontics. In 1926 he came to Atlanta where he opened his office for the practice of orthodontics.