Dr. William H. Ainslie, Sr., 98, of Edison died on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at the Mary Anne Hale Pavilion of Haven Hospice at JFK Medical Center in Edison. Born in Perth Amboy, he grew up in Metuchen and later moved to Edison. He was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy; he attended Harvard University and received his medical degree from Tufts Medical School in 1946. He served in the US Army Medical Corps during World War II as a 1st LT.
Gynecologist in Metuchen and built his Amboy Avenue office in 1954. He was one of the first board certified obstetricians and gynecologists in the Metuchen and Edison area. He initially practiced at Perth Amboy General Hospital and Middlesex General Hospital. Dr. Ainslie was a key member behind the effort to build JFK Medical Center in the mid 1960’s. He was one of the founding members of the JFK Medical Advisory Committee, a past president of the JFK Medical/Dental Staff and the first Chief of the JFK Obstetrics and Gynecology Department.
He also practiced at Roosevelt Hospital and served as director of OBGYN and as a member of the Board of Managers.
He was an active member of the NJ and Middlesex County Medical Societies, the American Medical Association and the American Fertility Society. He was a past president of NJ OBGYN Society, a Fellow of the American College of OBGYN and the American College of Surgeons. He was also an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ at Rutgers University.
He was greatly admired for his warm-hearted approach to medicine and much loved by all his patients. Dr. Ainslie delivered over 10,000 babies during his long career. He was an avid crusader for sex education and premarital courses in schools and houses of worship. Although he stopped delivering babies in 1986, he did not enter full retirement until 2000.
He believed exercise to be critical to maintaining health, therefore throughout his life, he played golf, tennis and exercised regularly. He was an active member of the Metuchen YMCA and Metuchen Golf and Country Club into his 90’s.
He enjoyed being involved in many aspects of his community. He joined the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen in 1936. He was a longtime member of the Metuchen Riding and Hunt Club and the Metuchen Exchange Club. In his retirement, he took great pleasure in working with local historical societies and working on the restoration of the Colonial Cemetery in Metuchen.
Dr. Ainslie loved to travel to exotic places with family and friends and often took part in the tour planning. Arizona was a particularly special place for him. As a child, he and his mother spent an adventurous year in Tombstone Arizona. He also enjoyed many hours of sailing on Raritan Bay and surrounding coastal waters.
He had a knack for making new friends. He always had an interest in meeting all people and discussing their ideas. A favorite pastime was debating about and sharing ideas on politics, science and world problems. His remarkable thirst for knowledge continued throughout his life and he never stopped reading and taking home study courses about history, politics and science.
He was predeceased by his parents Thomas and Mary (Horn) Ainslie.
He is survived by his wife of 75 years Nancy (Wilson); son Dr. William H. Jr (Marnie); daughters Barbara (Matteo) Settembrini and Susan (Chris) Dunn; grandchildren Lisa, Brad, Jon, David, Laura and Ian; great grandchildren Connor, Kaia, Briar, Dylan, Theodore and Lillian.
A memorial Service will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 2:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen 270 Woodbridge Ave. Metuchen followed by a reception at the church Social Center. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Metuchen 270 Woodbridge Ave. Metuchen, NJ 08840 or the Metuchen YMCA 65 High St. Metuchen, NJ 08840. Arrangements are by the Costello-Runyon Funeral Home, Metuchen. To send condolences please visit costello-runyon.com.