William Charles Major

Dr. William Charles Major, known to family and friends as Bill, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2024, at his cherished home overlooking Lake Waxahachie. After a courageous battle with leukemia, he leaves behind a legacy of healing, adventure, and deep love for his family.

Born on March 6, 1950, in Nocona, Texas, Bill was the son of Dr. John W. Major and Barbara Smith Major. Growing up in a family of doctors, Bill discovered his calling at a young age while assisting his father and uncles at the Major Clinic. By the time he was 14, he was helping with lab work, X-rays, and surgeries. Driven by this inspiration, Bill graduated from Nocona High School in 1967, a year early, and began his path toward becoming a surgeon.

Bill earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin, where he excelled in Organic Chemistry and became a lifelong Longhorn fan. Despite his professors’ efforts to steer him into chemistry, Bill remained committed to medicine and graduated in 1971. He earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1975 (a legacy following his father’s alma mater), followed by a rotating internship at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth and a residency at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, where he served as Chief Resident. Bill became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1984, cementing his reputation as a skilled and compassionate surgeon.

In 1980, Bill opened a surgical practice in Waxahachie, where he served the community for 36 years. He was deeply respected by colleagues and patients alike. Known for his unmatched knowledge, rapport with patients, and determination to solve the toughest medical challenges, Bill loved working with patients, collaborating with medical staff, and consulting on the hardest cases. As one colleague remarked, “There was nobody better than Bill—his knowledge, his partnership, and his eagerness to figure out what was wrong and fix it.”

Beyond his profession, Bill was a man of many passions. He married the love of his life, Patsy Lou Widlake, on May 27, 1972, and they shared 52 years together. Their love story began in the 5th grade when Patsy moved to Nocona, and Bill always said it was love at first sight. They grew closer after Bill graduated high school a year early in 1967. Their bond deepened over long talks on the dock at Lake Nocona, which Bill always cherished. Together, they built a life full of love, adventure, and laughter, raising two children, Kelly and Kevin, and later enjoying the joys of grandparenthood with Owen, Henry, Susanna, and John.

Family was Bill’s greatest joy (and also his love for all things on the water). A lifelong sailor, water skier, and boater, Bill shared his passion for the water with his family through countless adventures on Lake Nocona, Lake Waxahachie, Cedar Creek Lake and the Oceans with yearly bareboat sailing charters in the Caribbean. He also loved cycling, participating in the Hotter'N'Hell Hundred bike rally more than 20 times and relishing his unique “sailor biking” rides downwind on gusty Texas days. Bill found joy in kayaking, cheering for the Longhorns, and making Waxahachie’s hike and bike trail better for all, a passion he continued into retirement. A bench will be placed along the trail in his honor in the coming months.

Bill is survived by his wife, Patsy Major; his daughter Kelly Major Heath and her husband Joel Heath; his son Kevin Major and his husband Patrick Parker; and his grandchildren Owen, Henry, Susanna, and John. He is also survived by his sister Mary Jane Major and her husband Fred Klingeman; his brother Bruce Major; his sister-in-law Kathy Gray and her husband John Gray; and his nieces and a nephew, Kate Donaho and her husband Jason Sugawa, Jacquie Warner, Taylor Holden, and Brad Thompson. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. John W. and Barbara Major, and his sister, Diane Major Donaho.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, December 15, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Abbey Estates in Waxahachie, Texas (3314 Farm to Market Rd 1446, Waxahachie, TX 75167). In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at www.lls.org or Waxahachie’s Hope Health (providing quality, patient-centered healthcare that is affordable for those we serve in our community) at www.hopehealthtx.org/donate. 

Bill Major lived fully, loved deeply, and changed the world one patient, one adventure, and one moment at a time. His legacy will endure in the lives he touched and the family he cherished.