Obituary of William Bristow

BRISTOW, William Harvey Jr., M.D., 79, of Ridgewood died at home on August 23, 2007. He was born on August 15, 1928 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to William Harvey Bristow and Rosa Leah St. Clair. He lived in Ridgewood for 45 years and practiced psychiatry for 54 years. William graduated Forest Hills High School in 1946, Harvard University in 1949, and New York University School of Medicine in 1953. After interning at the New York University Medical Center, he completed a non-psychiatric residency at Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, and a psychiatric residency at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Manhattan. Licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, he was board certified in psychiatry in 1980 by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He served as a captain in the United States Air Force from 1955-57. He was on the staff of: Bergen Pines County Hospital, serving as chairman of the psychiatric department in 1961; Paterson General Hospital, now known as St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital, serving as chairman of the psychiatric department starting in 1982; and The Valley Hospital, serving as associate director of the psychiatric department from 1976-80. From 1985 to 1998, he was clinical director and then medical director of the Ramapo Psychiatric Hospital, Christian Health Care Center. He worked as staff psychiatrist at Bergen Regional Medical Center from 1998, until earlier this month. He also had a private practice initially in Paterson, and later for 37 years at an office in Wilsey Square in Ridgewood. He was a member of American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, New Jersey Psychiatric Association, Medical Society of New Jersey, NYU-Bellevue Psychiatric Society, Association of Convulsive Therapy, and Bergen County Medical Society. He was president of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association from 1977-78 and was a representative to the American Psychiatric Association Assembly District Branch. He leaves his wife Lillian Heise, children Jill Virginia, Lisa Ann, and William Harvey III, daughter-in-law Margaret, grandchildren William Harvey IV, Thomas Reilly, and Theodore Joseph, and a sister Ann. Visiting will be held Sunday, August 26, 2007, 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, New Jersey. (www.vpfh.com) Funeral service will be held Monday, August 27, 2007, at 10:30 am. Entombment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus. In lieu of flowers; memorial contributions may be made to the Christian Health Care Center, 301 Sicomac Avenue, Wyckoff, New Jersey 07481.