William Margaretten, MD

September 19, 1929 - September 5, 2020

William (Bill) Margaretten, MD, beloved husband, father, grandfather and Bohemian peacefully passed away at home on September 5th after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s. A renowned physician-scientist and medical educator, he will be lovingly remembered.

Born to Sylvia and David Margaretten in Brooklyn, New York on September 19th, 1929 on the eve of the Great Depression, Bill and his brother, Hugh, grew up during World War II. Both of these experiences helped to forge the integrity of his character.

Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa from New York University in 1950, received his MS from Northwestern University and his medical degree from State University of New York Downstate. Following his Internship and Residency in Pediatrics at the University of Chicago and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, he served as a Captain in the US Air Force in Morocco from 1958-1960. Bill’s research led him to pathology, and in 1967 he was recruited from Columbia University to the faculty at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where he worked for more than 35 years. It was in San Francisco that Bill met and married Mary Ann, his cherished wife of 50 years.

Dr. Margaretten’s professional achievements, publications, and honors were many, but it is through the medical students he taught, the residents he trained, and the equitable policies he instituted, that Bill’s legacy will continue. His long service at San Francisco General included clinical work and scientific research. At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco Dr. Margaretten worked to further scientific knowledge about the then mysterious and deadly disease. Known for his dry sense of humor and memorable clinicopathological conferences, he went on to become a beloved educator at UCSF and as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs he remained a champion for the faculty. He was honored with many teaching awards by UCSF, where he worked until age 75 as Professor Emeritus. Dr. Margaretten was a caring, generous, modest man, and possessed a wonderful sense of humor that endeared him to all he met in his professional and personal life.

Bill is survived by his loving wife Mary Ann, his three children John (Quimby) Margaretten, Mimi Margaretten, Molly Margaretten (Michael Mahoney) and his six grandchildren Elizabeth, Olivia, Margaret, Billy, Marian and Timmy who adored their “Papa” as much as he adored them.

The family wishes to express their profound gratitude to his caregivers Freddy, Ramon, Henry, and Nely, who provided such compassionate and dedicated care.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Dr. Margaretten’s memory may be made to UCSF Foundation, In Memory of Dr. William Margaretten, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339, or a charity of your choice. Most importantly the family asks that you remember and honor Bill by being honest, fair and kind as he always was to others.