Lance J. Williams (September 25, 1949 – August 20, 2017[1]) was a prominent graphics researcher who made major contributions to texture map prefiltering, shadow rendering algorithms, facial animation, and antialiasing techniques. Williams was one of the first people to recognize the potential of computer graphics to transform film and video making.
Williams died at 67 years old on August 20, 2017, after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife and two children.[2]