Dr. Will van Wisse

Will van Wisse, M.D., 89, passed away on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Will, the son of the late Cornelius and Cornelia van Wissen, was born in Voorschoten, the Netherlands, on January 20, 1934, and lived through World War II and the Hunger Winter during the German occupation of Holland, which marked his life. Will received his medical degree from the State University of Leiden, in 1958, where he bicycled 10 miles each day from Voorschoten to attend medical school at the University in Leiden. In 1964, he completed his residency in surgery at Union Memorial and Franklin Square Hospitals in Baltimore, MD, and served as a Papal Volunteer in Sololá, Guatemala, from 1964 to 1967. His work in Sololá became a lifelong mission for him and his wife, Celia, also a surgeon. They have developed a self-sustaining medical and educational infrastructure to improve the lives of the indigenous people. Will and his family moved to Austin, TX, in 1969, where he established a private practice in general surgery. For many years, Will was a part of the surgical residency teaching program at Brackenridge Hospital. He dedicated decades to charitable work for the indigent as an attending physician at Caritas and the South Austin Health Clinics. He never shied away from facilitating opportunities for others to grow, understand different cultures, and share in the exchange of ideas. He made a difference in the lives of so many. Will had a wry sense of humor and an infectious smile. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. He had an insatiable thirst for learning and could be found studying the latest medical advances, keeping up with current events, and always welcoming a healthy competition of dominoes with his family. He never met a piece of chocolate he didn’t like! He led by example and instilled in his children compassion, self-reliance, and to be of service. Will is preceded in death by his grandson, Keith van Wisse, his parents, and all 5 of his siblings. He is survived by his children Will van Wisse Jr. and his wife, Karen, of Arnold, MD; Renée Hendley and her husband, Steve Anlian, of Washington, D.C.; Robert van Wisse and his wife, Paty, of Mexico City; Gabrielle Humphrey and her husband, Frank, of Peachtree City, GA; Javier Booten and his wife, Pamela, of Austin, TX; Edward van Wisse and his wife, Mary, of Austin, TX; Antony van Wisse and his wife, Jane Anne, of Austin, TX; DeWitt van Wisse and his wife, Kristine, of Austin, TX; Laura Lovett and her husband, Dare, of Houston, TX; Francis van Wisse and his wife, Mariana, of San Antonio, TX, and Corrie van Wisse and her husband, Roisel, of Austin, TX; and his 22 grandchildren, Kathryn, Austin, Maya, Ethan, Dare, Nathaniel, Robert Jr., Ian, Jake, Rebeca, Isabella, Claire, Luca, Erin, Colt, Cloey, William, Liam, Julianna, Harrison, Ave, and Margaret.