William Nathan Oates, born in 1936 in Harlingen, Texas, died in 2026 after a long career in medicine and a retirement spent abroad. His family moved to Tucson, Arizona, when he was seven years old, and he remained connected to the Southwest for much of his adult life. Oates pursued an extended course of study that prepared him for a lifetime in clinical practice: he graduated from Amphi High School in the class of 1955, completed an honors degree at Northern Arizona University in 1959 and earned his medical degree from UCLA Medical School in 1963.
Portrait used on the obituary page showing an older man with white hair and a white mustache smiling; a personal photo accompanying the Legacy obituary.
After medical school, Oates specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. He completed a residency in that specialty at Los Angeles County General Hospital from 1964 through 1968, a formative period that preceded his military service. Following his residency, he served in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico until 1971. His time in uniform is part of the arc of his early professional life, bridging advanced training and the start of a long civilian practice.
In 1971 Oates returned to Arizona and established a private obstetrics and gynecology practice in Tucson. He maintained that practice for more than four decades, continuing clinical work through 2015. The obituary notes the span of his private practice without elaborating on particular appointments or affiliations during those years, but the dates reflect a sustained career in patient care from the early 1970s into the second decade of the 21st century.
Following his retirement from clinical practice in 2015, Oates relocated to Boquete, Panama, where he lived until 2026. The move marked the beginning of a new chapter of international residence after a career centered in Arizona. His obituary recounts this transition from a long professional life in Tucson to years spent abroad in Panama during his retirement.
Outside of medicine, Oates pursued a number of personal interests that the obituary highlights. He took up long-distance running, completing seven marathons during his life and running across the Grand Canyon rim to rim — an endurance feat the notice specifically mentions. In addition to athletics, Oates studied wine appreciation, training at the Napa Valley Wine Academy. He traveled for this interest as well, visiting Australia, New Zealand and Argentina in connection with wine appreciation activities.
He is survived by three children and seven grandchildren, as well as cousins, the obituary states. Details about memorial services are not included in the notice beyond options offered to honor his memory; the obituary references the availability of planted trees and other memorial contributions through a sympathy store. The notice was published by the Arizona Daily Star from June 1 to June 3, 2026, and the online guestbook remains open for memories and condolences.
William Nathan Oates’s life as presented in the obituary is defined by a long clinical career in obstetrics and gynecology, service in the Air Force, an active retirement abroad and personal pursuits in endurance running and wine study. His family — three children, seven grandchildren and cousins — survive him, and the published notice includes options for those who wish to leave remembrances or make memorial contributions in his name.