William A. Newsom, Jr.

William A. Newsom, Jr., M.D., passed away on Jan. 8, 2025.

Newsom was born in San Francisco in 1946, to Anne Newsom and William A. Newsom, M.D. He was the oldest of nine siblings, and attended local Catholic schools and the University of San Francisco. In 1968 he entered the first class of the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, and graduated in 1972 as first in his class. He married his classmate Christine Mueller that year, and the two did post-graduate training at the UC Davis and UCSF schools of medicine. Bill was one of the two first trainees in the newly emerging field of oncology at UCSF, completing his fellowship in 1977. After practicing for four years in San Francisco, he and his family moved to Nevada County in 1981.

From that time until 1994, Bill was the only oncologist in Nevada County, and did his utmost to provide the best care for local cancer patients so that they did not have to go “down the hill” for treatment. He was instrumental in establishing the cancer center at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, along with various support groups such as music therapy with Lisa Stine, writing therapy with Molly Fisk, and emotional support groups with Dr. Jeff Kane. After Dr. David Campbell joined his practice in 1994, they were able to widen the options available to cancer patients, to include a tumor board conference where specialists from all fields could gather weekly to integrate care for their patients.

Bill was happiest when caring for his patients; when asked whether he ever got depressed by caring for people with terminal conditions, he usually replied that it was a great privilege and pleasure to be able to help add quality time to peoples’ lives, and sometimes to see cures. He didn’t know the meaning of “burnout,” and would have kept on practicing for many years if he could. Unfortunately, the toll of his Parkinson’s disease was such that he had to retire in 2012.

Bill had many interests outside of medicine, and some of his dearest friendships were made while sharing adventures skiing, hiking, piloting his plane and glider, playing squash, and playing his guitar. He loved poetry, music, meteorology, astronomy, nature, food and wine. Above all, however, Bill was a loving and devoted father and husband, who delighted in every moment he spent with his wife, three children, and four grandchildren. He is survived and beloved by his wife of 53 years, Christine; children Peter, Joanna (Andy), and Emily (David); grandchildren Temple, Levon, Oscar and Sunny; siblings Wendy, Laura, Mark, Mary, Sarah, Phillip; and multiple nieces and nephews.

For many of us in his family, he was a true hero — not because of his professional achievements but because of his unflagging kindness, selflessness, humbleness, humor, compassion, patience, curiosity, and boundless love. He was an imaginative, resourceful, magical father, who made the world seem full of adventure and mystery, and the gifts he gave us will stay with us forever. He weathered the inconveniences and indignities of his illness bravely and he fought to preserve his independence and responsibilities as long as he possibly could. He left this life on Jan. 8, 2025.

Submitted by Christine Mueller Newsom (M.D. ‘72)