Dr. William David Wiley was a quintessential family physician. With his white hair, kind face and twinkling eyes, warm smile and sturdy frame, he was what quickly came to mind, the word "doctor".
For the past 55 years he had diagnosed , treated , cured thousands of patients, celebrated in the hundreds of babies he had delivered and consoled the families of those he could no longer help.

Dr. Wiley on July 1, 1955 started his practice in a small building in Deferiet. His path to becoming a physician was not carved in stone; rather, as Dr. Wiley says, "I drifted into it."

Born in Highland, in Dec. 1927, to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Thomas Wiley, he moved to Watertown with his family when was three years old. For three summers in his high school years, during World War II, Dr. Wiley worked as a telephone lineman, among other jobs. He graduated from Watertown High School, attended Syracuse University for one year, and then was drafted into the Army. Sworn in just three hours before the close of the draft, he served in the Signal Corps in Japan for a year, "in the same building as General MacArthur", Dr. Wiley said.
"At that time," Dr. Wiley said, I'd never known a doctor except for the school doctor. I had no goals carved in stone." He did however, get an insight of the profession from Suzanne's grandfather, Dr. Frederic R. Calkins, the dean of north country surgeons, Watertown NY.

Nonetheless, in his junior year at SU, he applied to NYS Medical School in Syracuse. Along with his acceptance letter he received a scholarship. The tuition back then was a mere $800.00. The Wiley's were thankful for the scholarship.

After four years of medical studies, followed by one year during which Dr Wiley was a rotating intern, the couple had four children, and very little money and no cars. Dr Wiley decided to become a General Practitioner instead of specializing. After turning down several requests to practice, an offer from St. Regis Paper Co in Deferiet NY arrived which appealed to his philosophy of what a doctor should be. That is "to be a good teacher and to help people".

St Regis provided the family with a home and the converted garage for his office for a nominal rent. Suzanne recalls the first day he saw patients in Deferiet. She asked how much he had charged for an office call, "One dollar," was his reply, the going rate was $3.00.

Along with his office practice in Deferiet, Dr Wiley traveled to hospitals in Carthage, West Carthage, Watertown's Mercy Hospital and the House of the Good Samaritan in Watertown to deliver babies. He remembered "One day" I had six deliveries. I missed two of them. Fortunately, they knew what to expect.
Dr Wiley served as Medical Director for Country Manor Nursing Home (formerly Hallmark) where he would stop in daily to check on patients. He was Public Health Officer for many area towns and villages and served as school doctor for the Carthage Central School District, Hillside Christian School, and Copenhagen School District.

When a patient walked into Dr Wiley's office he would make them feel at ease and then proceed to address their problem. When the professional portion of the call was over, Doc Wiley again would put the patient at ease.

One patient commented, "Nobody escapes the exam room without a quirky joke to help lower one's blood pressure. Dr Wiley who had a remarkable memory would even at times recite poetry to change the atmosphere in the room. But the main thing, Dr Wiley felt that has changed is in the philosophy of being a good doctor."When I was interviewed for medical school, and I was asked why I wanted to be a doctor. I thought a doctor should be a teacher and to help people. And he believed that philosophy his whole life and taught it well. Just Look at his kids and his grandkids, they also believe in their grandfather's philosophy.

Outside the office, Dr Wiley had many interests. In addition to spending time with his family, he loved to fish, cut wood and tend to his garden. He thoroughly enjoyed hunting and fishing expeditions with his 3 lifetime pals, Dr Robert Zimmer, Jamesville , Dr Robert Adams Florida and Dr Richard Miller Potsdam.
He loved doing stained glass, which his home is decorated with. Their garage is graced with a lovely stained glass widow that came from the Concordia Lutheran Church which Dr Wiley had repaired and replaced with a missing piece with the Wiley name.
A long time member of the Carthage United Methodist Church choir, he sang bass. He loved music and playing his harmonica. Reading was another of his passions, along with either a bowl of popcorn or a big dish of ice cream!

While attending Syracuse he married Suzanne Calkins of Watertown on August 21, 1948. They both graduated from Syracuse in 1950. They have been married for 67 years.

Dr and Mrs Wiley have six children. Marianne Wiley Knight-Larry, Bainbridge Island WA., Eric and Carrie Wiley, Bellingham WA., Robert and Dawn Wiley, Webster, Jane and Allen Dingman, Big Spring TX, Joyce and Andrew Mielnik, Pleasant Lake, Carthage, Hope and Frank Koster, Champion. There are 16 grand children and 15 great great grandchildren. A sister, Mary Ellen Ormiston resides in Venice Center NY. A sister, Marjorie Cleveland, of MD and a brother, Harold R Wiley of Lowville are deceased.

Dr Wiley had no plan to retire or slow down and gave some credit to good genes and the other to his "Maker. He stated once" The Lord makes special allowances for caregivers, and I think those of us who are employed in a field we enjoy are also blessed."

Calling hours for Dr William D Wiley will be held on Monday and Tuesday evenings at the First United Methodist Church in Carthage from 6-8 pm.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, March 31st at 10 am in Asbury United Methodist Church, Franklin St in Watertown NY.

Interment immediately follows at Hillside Cemetery, Champion.