John Cairns Williams, M.D. (Jack)September 09, 1925 - October 29, 2016TulareJohn Cairns Williams, M.D. (Jack) was born on September 9, 1925, in Newark, Jew Jersey. He passed away at his home surrounded by his loved ones on October 29, 2016. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Williams, of 54 years. He moved to Tulare in 1959 and has lived here since. He is survived by four children: Aimee Williams-Kelley and husband Brian, Caitlin Williams Brown and husband Greg, John C. Williams and wife Sandy, and Sarah Cairns Williams; three grandchildren: Gwyn Brown Yeates, Sean William Kelley, and Caitlin Virginia Kelley; and three great-grandchildren: Jakob Koorey, Ethan Yeates, and Jenna Yeates.Jack, as he was known by all who were close, served in WWII in the Army. He received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received at Siersthal, France, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge and Bronze Star Medal for Heroic Action while in Combat. He was awarded an Honorable Discharge in Fort Dix, New Jersey, in April of 1946.He was a graduate of Princeton University and achieved his doctorate at Columbia University. He had a private practice of Orthopedic Surgery from 1959-1985. He then joined the surgical staff of VAMC-Fresno from 1985-1991. He became the Chief of Rehabilitation at the VA from 1991-1997, when he retired.His hobbies included sailing, skiing, fly fishing, photography, wine tasting and breakfast with his buddies (who are fondly noted in a Christmas letter as being his "exasperating Republican cronies"). He truly relished those mornings, often commenting that the experience really "made his day". He was a long-time supporter of the Tulare County Symphony, which he was instrumental in founding with his wife Dorothy back in the 1960s. He was also a long-time member of the Tulare Rotary Club.In 1970, he took his family on a 6-month "vacation" to Europe, traveling about with his wife and 4 children in a VW van. While in London, he studied with the surgeon who invented the total knee replacement and then was the first surgeon to perform that procedure in the San Joaquin Valley. He was also president of the Sequoia Chapter of the Western Orthopedic Association. Throughout his career he was a fellow, diplomat, or member of various medical societies. He had a great interest in the rapidly evolving science of orthopedics. He was a clinical instructor in Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA and then a professor of surgery at UCSF/Fresno when he worked at the VA.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Optimal Hospice Foundation, who provided Dad excellent and compassionate care in his final days.