William Close was born on June 7, 1924 in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. He was married to Bettine. He died on January 15, 2009 in Big Piney, Wyoming, USA.
Besides his daughter Glenn Close, he is also survived by daughter Tina Close of Wilson, Wyoming; daughter Jessie Close of Bozeman, Montana; son Alexander D. Close of Belgrade, Montana; and daughter Tambu Misoki of Sacramento, California.
He is survived by nine grandchildren.
He served in the United States Army as a pilot during World War II.
He studied at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts; earned his medical degree from Columia University in New York City; and trained as a surgeon at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.
He was a doctor missionary for the Moral Re-Armament from 1960 to 1977 in Zaire where he had a private practice and directed the 1,500 bed Mama Yemo hospital in Kinshasha and the Zairian national health service.