William Chandler Rambo

Dr. William Chandler Rambo, 69, died from leukemia-related complications on December 15, 2018 in Plantation, Florida, where he had been temporarily residing for the past 29 years. He is survived by his daughter, Rachel Rambo, his brother and his sister-in-law, Bob and Lisa, his nieces, Jennifer, Amy, and Hayley, and his close friends Douglas and Shelley, and their children Eric and Jenna. A proud native Texan who grew up in San Antonio, Bill graduated from Southwestern University in Texas before earning a Masters in Divinity in 1975 from Yale University. After becoming a Presbyterian minister, he went on to earn a Master’s in Social Work from UT Austin in 1981 and a Ph.D. in family therapy from NSU in 1999. Professionally, Dr. Rambo was highly regarded as a sophisticated clinician and committed supervisor. A true reflection of his character, he spent much of his life working with and helping those who most of society may have otherwise disregarded; sex offenders court mandated to see him. With deep respect, self-deprecating Southern charm, and an appreciation for irony, he brought out the best in both his clients and his trainees. And there was no better conversationalist. Whether the topic was the Civil War, existentialism, Biblical scholarship, or some fascinating intersection of all three, a conversation with Bill was sure to leave you more knowledgeable, challenged, and curious. He had the aesthetic eye and technical skills of an architect, designer, and craftsman; the ecological orientation of an urban planner; the discerning politics of a NY-loving Texas Democrat, and the heart of an Anglophile American.  And you could always trust his restaurant recommendations. In other words, he was a wonderfully, lovingly complicated Renaissance man. He was as kind as he was honest. And he was the most amazing father. A service memorializing his life will be held on January 20, 2018 at his beautiful home in Plantation. Contributions in his name and spirit can be made to the San Antonio McNay Art Museum.