Expressions of sympathy, shock and condolences have been pouring in on social media regarding the passing of Dr. William Craig, an internal medicine physician at Pahrump’s Reflections Healthcare, where the message of his death was posted on Sept. 17.
“We regret to inform everyone that Dr. William V. Craig passed away due to complications of COVID pneumonia,” Reflections said on Facebook. “We share in everyone’s grief and sadness as we celebrate the life of a man we all loved and respected deeply.”
Career and life
According to the medical website Vitals.com, Dr. Craig received his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York upon graduating back in 1975.
With more than 46 years of experience in medicine, Dr. Craig began his residency at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
Aside from his professional endeavors, Craig, who was multilingual, enjoyed reading a wide variety of literature including poetry, short stories, plays and novels, in English, German and Spanish.
Dr. Craig was a pianist, and also played bassoon. Prior to his passing, Dr. Craig had begun to try his hand at playing the cello.
When he was off-duty, Dr. Craig loved to work in his garden and was an avid golfer, who also spent time regularly meditating and praying.
Office art gallery
Along with employing lifesaving medical procedures in his practice, Dr. Craig, as noted in a Pahrump Valley Times article published in January of this year, began using artwork to help his patients get back on the road to good health.
The works are displayed at the Reflections Healthcare location at 2270 Commercial Drive.
Dr. Craig said that he wanted to inspire and provoke the thoughts and feelings among his patients, as they recover.
Though the art exhibit is not open to the general public, all Reflections Healthcare patients are invited to participate with their respective thoughts and feelings during each office visit.
Dr. Craig emphasized that, “there are just some things you can’t write a prescription for.”
“It is our intention to use art as a way for each of us to connect more deeply with ourselves, each other, our community and the natural world surrounding us,” he said at the time. “We hope to instigate, inspire and provoke your thoughts, feelings, reactions, memories, or associations, and to ultimately open a conversation about how life influences us and how we respond to such influences.”
As stated in the Reflections social media post, the facility will continue to assist patients in securing a new provider and is working closely with other health care professionals in the community to assist with continuity of care.
Dr. Craig’s memorial is planned for Saturday, Oct. 23 at 1:00 p.m. at the Pahrump Community Church at 1061 E Wilson Rd.
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes