James Haviland, 96, eased the way for kidney dialysis

Chronic kidney failure was a fatal disease in 1962 when Dr. James W. Haviland drew on his association with University Hospital and the King County Medical Society, of which he was then president, to create the world's first outpatient kidney-dialysis center.

Former colleagues say Dr. Haviland marshaled community support to ensure that the center, now comprising more than a dozen regional clinics known as the Northwest Kidney Centers, operated on a not-for-profit basis. For thousands of patients, it was life-changing work that made convenient dialysis and long-term survival possible.

"Dr. Haviland was the greatest asset that the Kidney Center had in its early years," said Dr. Christopher Blagg, director emeritus of the Northwest Kidney Centers. "His clinical sense, wisdom, political acumen and knowledge of the Seattle community were invaluable."

Dr. Haviland died at his home in Bremerton on Nov. 14 of natural causes. He was 96.

James Haviland was born in Glens Falls, N.Y., on July 18, 1911. He completed medical school and residency training at Johns Hopkins University. He met his first wife, Marion Bertram, a social worker, when he served as director of services for crippled children at the state departments of Social Security and Health in Olympia. Together they had four children.

From the late 1940s through the 1970s, Dr. Haviland was a leader at the UW School of Medicine. He was an assistant dean, a clinical professor of medicine and an associate dean for clinical affairs while also maintaining a large private practice in internal medicine.

In 1953, as acting dean, he took an active role in the design, construction and funding of University Hospital, now UW Medical Center.

Dr. Paul Ramsey, dean of the UW School of Medicine, said Dr. Haviland's "selflessness, dedication and remarkable spirit of innovation and collaboration speak to the very best qualities of the medical profession."

Blagg remembers Dr. Haviland for his ability to achieve consensus among various groups.

"He called it 'frothing.' He would give warring parties the opportunity to air their views, and almost every time, it ended up with the result he wanted," Blagg said.

Haviland served as president of the American College of Physicians in 1970-71 and was elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine in 1973. He is a recipient of the 1995 Washington Laureate Award from the Washington Chapter of the American College of Physicians and received the Northwest Kidney Centers' first Celebration of Excellence Award in 1990, which subsequently became the James W. Haviland Award, bestowed annually. He was the first president of the Northwest Kidney Centers board of trustees and continued to serve on the board as senior counsel until his death.

Northwest Kidney Centers' flagship building, at 700 Broadway in Seattle, was renamed Haviland Kidney Center in 1998.

Dr. Haviland's first wife died in 1993. He married Mary Katherine Burden in 1997, and the couple recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. He was active in Emmanuel Episcopal Church, and family members said he sang in the choir and had a melodic voice up to the very end of his life.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his brother, Morrison Haviland; children James Haviland, of Des Moines; Elizabeth Haviland, of Laramie, Wyo.; Donald Haviland, of Port Townsend; and Martha Clauser, of Fallon, Nev.; two grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 1 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island. A celebration of his life will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 3 at the UW Health Sciences Center Hogness Auditorium (4th floor), 1959 N.E. Pacific St., Seattle.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the James W. Haviland Endowment at the Northwest Kidney Centers, P.O. Box 3035, Seattle, WA 98114.

Lynn Thompson: 425-745-7807 or lthompson@seattletimes.com