In Memoriam
Eric Sean Williams, MD, FACC, FHRS
1976 – 2020
 The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is deeply saddened by the passing of ABC Member Eric Sean Williams, MD, on October 15, 2020. Dr. Williams was a cardiac electrophysiologist at Mercy Clinic Heart and Vascular. He died at the age of 44.
Dr. Williams was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the prestigious Stuyvesant High School. He was a percussionist in high school and was inspired by John Coltrane. He completed a bachelor’s degree in Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. He received his medical degree with honors from Harvard Medical School. During his time at Harvard, he conducted research in Costa Rica for two years. He received his internal medicine residency training at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he served an additional year as chief resident. He completed a general cardiology fellowship at Duke University and an electrophysiology fellowship at the University of Washington, Seattle.
Dr. Williams served as Co-chair for ABC’s Electrophysiology Committee as well as several joint symposiums held by the ABC and the Heart Rhythm Society. He was devoted to helping younger Black physicians and those aspiring to become doctors. Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Williams served many Spanish-speaking patients. He published multiple articles that informed research, policy, and practice in patient care. At the time of his passing, he was pursuing a master’s degree in bioinformatics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Williams loved history, current affairs, and reading biographies. He enjoyed sharing his love of music with his daughter as well as spending time with her at the library, park, zoo, symphony, and ballet. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dr. Williams’ wife, Hedwig Eugenie Lee, his daughter Zora and the entire family. Dr. Williams will be missed by many. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that friends and family please consider contributions to an education fund for Zora in memory of Eric, which will be his special gift to her. Donations may be sent to: PNC Please mark all envelopes and donation checks “In care of Hedwig Lee”. Please refrain from sending to any other [fill in] branch as your donation may get lost. Services: Visitation will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM followed by a private funeral and interment. 3 entries.
wrote on May 24, 2024
Today Facebook offered me an old photo from my stay at Summer School in Cambridge, England. I look at the photo and remember Eric Williams, whom I met there and whom we saw later when I was studying in America and when I returned to the Czech Republic. He visited me in Seattle, I visited him twice in New York, and he also took me to visit Boston at Harvard, where he studied medicine. I was also visiting his family in Brooklyn and we wrote for a long time. Then he moved, got married and lived in Costa Rica, then he was a doctor in Seattle, San Francisco and many other places, but we lost touch because he was very busy as a doctor, a cardiologist, he was still in education and did not use any social media and the writing of letters somehow died down.
Today - when I saw this photo, I googled his name and found out that he died during covid. It is a shock and sad news for me. He was a wonderful person and a wonderful empathetic doctor. Such a shame. I feel sad. Deep condolences to his family.
wrote on March 11, 2022
Eric saved my life. He was a brilliant and gentle man
He injected humor and compassion into his relationship with his patience.
I loved him. He was a brother and a saint.
I am deeply saddened and shocked to learn that we have lost him and I have lost a friend.
wrote on February 21, 2022
I was under the care of Dr Williams in Seattle. When I first me Dr Williams I was immediately impressed, and I knew that he was the Dr for me. I meant to send Dr Williams a thank you letter, expressing my absolute gratitude for the new life that he gave me, but I never got around to it. Today I was searching for a contact address for Dr Williams and I found the above. I was very saddened. My deepest condolences to Dr Williams family, I know he is missed.
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