Many people in my circles knew him as the obsessive, suicidal Commodore Matthew Decker from Star Trek‘s “The Doomsday Machine.” Windom’s character was special because his “son” appeared in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Commander William Decker who in turn is recycled as Command William Riker for ST:NG.
William had an even more special place in my heart as Jake’s blustery father-in-law from John Hughes’ much underrated She’s Having a Baby.
He had quite a career as a character actor as his obituary states.