Dr. Frederick Dowell Williams, Sr., former President of the International Communication Association (1978-79), and founding Dean of the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California (1979-85), died on 29 May 2010 in Houston, Texas.
In addition to consulting, he lectured on communications for the U.S. International Communication Agency and has written several articles and books on the subject. In 1990 to 1991 he served as a Distinguished Research Fellow in the Gannett Media Research Center at Columbia University in the City of New York, where he conducted studies in the future of online information services, in particular, the transformation of the Internet from a U.S. Department of Defense to a public telecommunications network. Over his career, Dr. Williams authored and edited 54 books including Reasoning with Statistics, Language and Speech, The Sounds of Children, and The Communication Revolution.
He graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in Idaho in 1951, received a B.A. from the University of Idaho in 1955, an M.A. from the University of Southern California in 1960, and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in 1962. From 1955 to 1961, Dr. Williams served in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant, touring on the USS Lenawee and teaching NROTC at USC.
Dr. Williams was a Professor in the Speech Department at the University of Wisconsin from 1962-1969.
While at USC, Dr. Williams worked with The Disney Company on the storyboard for the iconic theme park ride at EPCOT Center in Disney World, "Spaceship Earth" in Orlando, Florida. The ride opened in 1982, taking guests on a journey from prehistoric age to the present day. It explores how human communication assisted in making advancements throughout history.
In 1991, Dr. Williams was appointed the Mary Gibbs Jones Centennial Professor of Communications at The University of Texas at Austin. He directed the Center for Research on Communication Technology and Society, receiving research support from regional telephone companies, AT&T and various foundations.
While in Austin, Texas, Dr. Williams was a W.W. Heath Centennial Research Fellow in the IC2 Institute. IC2 ("Innovation, Capital, Creativity") is an interdisciplinary research unit of The University of Texas at Austin, which has advanced the theory and practice of entrepreneurial wealth creation.
His personal interests included cycling in Wales and along the California coastline, time spent with family boating and fishing on Lake Travis in Austin, cross country camping trips, hiking in the early mornings and snow skiing. He had a keen appreciation for photography, music and the performing arts and was a prolific writer. His home was an open door to friends, colleagues and students, where he continuously nurtured a communal environment of creativity.
Fred was born 14 August 1933 in Longview, Washington, to parents Fred and Marie Williams, the former a Federal architect, the latter a librarian, author, and published poet. The family resided in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for several years. Fred's grandfather, George T. Williams, was a well known Pacific Northwest architect in the early 1900's, based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and over the course of 23 years, built such historic buildings as the Masonic Lodge, Roosevelt Elementary School (now an Inn), and the Methodist Church in Coeur d'Alene.
Dr. Williams is survived by his six children: Frederick D. Williams Jr., Mary K. Williams, Tiffany Townsend, M.D., Robert Williams, John D. Williams, Peter A. Williams; Amanda Williams, Ph.D. (ward and niece) and five grandchildren.
A private, family memorial will be held 14 August 2010 in Palos Verdes Estates, California. In lieu of flowers, please send charitable contributions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of Dr. Frederick D. Williams.
