William Edward Page
Aug. 2, 1940-May 3, 2012
Medford, Oregon
Submitted by Maria Cristina Page

Former Palo Alto, Calif., resident Bill Page passed away on May 3, 2012, at his home in Medford, Ore., surrounded by his loving wife and two daughters.

Bill was born Aug. 2, 1940, in Larchmont, N.Y., to Eugene Page and Esther Walsh.

As a young idealist, Bill entered the Maryknoll Catholic seminary to become a foreign missionary. He first went to Bolivia to study Spanish, and then went to Mexico to work in the Yucatan Peninsula. While in Mexico he became disappointed with the Catholic Church and left the priesthood in 1969.

After his departure, he hitchhiked throughout South America and returned to Bolivia to visit a young woman who had previously left an impression on him. Following the visit with Maria Cristina, who later became his wife, he went to Los Angeles to teach English. After his future wife joined him in Los Angeles, he entered medical school at the ripe age of 36 to uphold his passion for helping others and motivating people to lead healthy lives, of which his own life was a premier model.

Bill spent the majority of his medical career at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, where he practiced family medicine for 25 years. Upon retiring from PAMF, Bill worked as a locum tenens physician in undeserved areas across the U.S. and in New Zealand. He positively touched thousands of patients' lives. He also maintained an active lifestyle, skiing in New Zealand and winning ocean swims in Maui and Australia in the last three years.

His life is a true inspiration to his family, friends, and patients, and his character and humor are to be celebrated and emulated.

Bill endured three chemo treatments for melanoma prior to recently moving to the Rogue Valley Manor in Medford. Bill is survived by his wife of 40 years, Maria Cristina; two daughters, Christine and Danielle; and his sons-in-law, Will and Joe. Two music memorials will be held, one in Palo Alto, Calif., and the other in Annapolis, Md.

A local music memorial will be held Sunday, May 13, 2012, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lucie Stern Community Center Stern Ballroom, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.

Please consider a donation towards the "Palo Alto Medical Foundation Pre-Medical Scholarship Fund," which is awarded annually to local under-served students seeking to pursue medical careers. Donations may be sent to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Office of Philanthropy, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

Tags: public service