The visionary leader launched the Institute, hired many staffers still here today and improved rehabilitation health services
Dr. Jack Williams, the first Director of KITE (then called the Toronto Rehab Research Institute), has died. He passed away on December 6.
Dr. Williams began working on establishing the Institute in 2000—a year before it opened in 2001—and was director until 2003. “Jack had a vision to improve rehabilitation health services,” says Dr. Kathy McGilton, a senior scientist at KITE who Williams hired. “It included hiring researchers who were interested in working within the facility to improve the rehabilitative care patients were receiving, which was visionary in 2001.”
One of those hires was current Director Dr. Milos R. Popovic. “Jack was instrumental when I got hired to Toronto Rehab 20-plus years ago,” he said. “He opened the opportunity for me to come to Toronto Rehab and gave me access to Lyndhurst Centre and patients, which was kind of unthinkable at the time.
“He was very supportive, kind and thoughtful,” he says.
“We were extremely fortunate to have someone of Jack Williams’ calibre launch the Research Institute at Toronto Rehab,” adds Dr. Mark Bayley. “Not only had he already co-developed assessments such as the Berg Balance Scale, and the Reintegration to Normal Living Index, but he brought experience leading large research enterprises with a calm, gentle manner that was essential to our early success.”
Many of Dr. Williams’ hires are still at KITE today. “Jack knew how to spot talent. Nearly all of his recruits went on to have successful careers, and many have gone on to have prestigious Chair positions and have influenced rehabilitation care internationally,” says Dr. McGilton.
Before joining the Toronto Rehab Research Institute, Dr. Williams helped lead the development of ICES (then the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences). He worked there for more than a decade.
An obituary in the Globe and Mail described how much he enjoyed his work, especially as a supervisor to graduate students. “He took great pride in his students’ accomplishments and stayed in touch with many for years after their graduation,” it reads.
Williams’ wife, Dr. Dorothy (Dot) Pringle, also had an impressive career in healthcare, including acting as the Dean of Nursing at the University of Toronto and working to promote nurse scientists in healthcare. They had two children, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
The obituary describes him as someone who loved entertaining and treasured his family and friends. “Jack was a most interesting, complex, warm and loving husband, father, teacher, researcher and colleague,” it says.
In his retirement, Dr. Williams continued to help shape healthcare through his work on EnCOAR (Enhancing the Care of the Older Adult), which Dr. McGilton co-leads with Dr. Jennifer Bethell. He mentored the group’s trainees, staff and PIs, offering guidance on grants and publications. “His hallmark was his ability to provide guidance in a meaningful and supportive way, which will be remembered by our team and the many students he mentored in his career,” says Dr. McGilton. “We all enjoyed being with him, and we will miss him immensely.”