A Memorial Honoring Bill Lease

Bill was always kind and supportive to all of us. He helped in so many ways to make graduate school a positive and memorable experience.

I fully support the recognition of Bill for his decades of dedicated service and friendship to those of us who worked and studied in the Biology department. I was privileged to have known Bill during my time working in Paul Patterson’s lab in 1985-87, after college and before medical school, as a lab technician. I recall many happy times with Bill and friends in the department, dancing and going out to hear great local bands, and just hanging out for happy hour. He was always available to help our lab with any needs and “made things happen” when we couldn’t. He is very deserving of this recognition.

Bill was someone you always looked forward to seeing and sought out when you needed something - the rock of the Beckman Labs building. Grad Student 85-90.

Bill was the kind of person that made Caltech such a special place for graduate students. He was kind, full of wisdom, and good humor.

A really amazing generous man, Bill was like my older brother and a really good friend to me during my time as a graduate student. He was as graceful as always the last time I saw him. I will miss him dearly.

Grad student 1984-1990. Perhaps a Bill Lease Beer Hour? Or annual party to celebrate the winner of the Bill Lease C-League Softball Trophy?

Post-doc (1984-89). An incredible person like Bill Lease deserves a lasting Memory at Caltech.

grad student and postdoc 1974-1985 Bill was a key person during my years at Caltech and he indeed helped to make things work. I would contribute

Postdoc, 1981-1985. Bill was hired by Max Delbrück and served Caltech for several decades. He did so much more than reflected in his job description. He wisely saw that the spirit and camaraderie of faculty, staff, and students is every bit as crucial to excellence in research as are expertise and hard work. Bill brought both purpose and joy to the Caltech campus every single day. He worked long hours every day, frequently even on weekends. It is impossible for me to think of Caltech without Bill Lease. I am grateful to have been fortunate enough to have been at Caltech when Bill was there. He was magical in his effectiveness and commitment while also being kind, witty, and humble.

Graduate student 1984-91. Bill was one of the indispensable people who made work easier and life more joyful for everyone in the division. One cannot understate what Bill meant to all of us and the impact he had on our educational experience at Caltech.

I think the best description of Bill was what was said about his being part of Biology's "secret sauce". He was always fun to run into on campus over the many years he served at Caltech. He helped me set up Caltech's first Transgenic facility in the 80s. He was always sympathetic and understanding.

Grad student, 1982-1990. I can't think of any contemporary who didn't know Bill, and to know Bill was to like him. As others have commented, Bill was someone who got things done, was relentlessly supportive of the department and its members, and contributed mightily to the social life on campus. Just a wonderful person.

As a grad student back in the 80s, Bill made so many things more manageable. He was simultaneously personable and professional. He enabled so much science and was such a great example of how to work with integrity while balancing urgency and humanity.

Graduate student, 1980-1985. A great guy who held the Division of Biology together in so many ways. And he was a really fun guy!

Grad student, 1985-1993. Bill's kindness and service embodied what made Caltech a special place to be a PhD student.

Grad Student, 1984-88

The contributions that Bill Lease made to the Biology Division were incalculable. He was a grounding force for the functioning of the community as well as for the laboratories. He had a lasting impact on everyone who had the honor and privilege of knowing him and working along side of him. A memorial is the very least we could do to honor the memory of a man who contributed so much to the Biology Division at CalTech for so many years.

From my first day at Caltech, Bill impacted my work, workplace and work satisfaction greater than any other individual on campus. I admired (and benefitted from) his ability to speak truth to power, and to find solutions to challenges in an expedient and cost-effective manner. His fellowship with everybody in our lab was key to creating and elevating our lab spirit. He made Caltech special for all of us. (Faculty 1990-2012)

Grad student 1982-88.

His spirit supported me and so many.