James A. Donaldson, M.D.

James A. Donaldson M.D. died peacefully Sunday, March 20 in Redmond, WA, surrounded by his family. He was a renowned ear surgeon and professor who loved his family, his work and living in the Pacific Northwest.

Born January 22, 1930 in St. Cloud, MN, Jim attended Shattuck Military Academy, MIT, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Medical School. He was drafted under the "Doctor Draft" and served two years in the U.S. Public Health Service. He had an otology fellowship at the Otologic Medical Group (now the House Ear Institute) in Los Angeles and then became a faculty member at the University of Iowa. In 1965, he was appointed to chair the newly created Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Washington. In 1967, Jim and Barry Anson, the nationally prominent anatomist, published the Anson-Donaldson 'Surgical Anatomy of the Temporal Bone and Ear' which is still the standard medical school text in its field. Jim received many national and international awards in recognition of his contributions to the field of otolaryngology.

Jim was a leader who set high standards for himself. He loved his patients, teaching and practicing medicine.

Jim enjoyed designing and making things - furniture, computers, camping equipment, and ideas to improve patient care, to name a few! He designed the Donaldson Ear Tube - one of the first commercial ear tubes.

Jim loved doughnuts, peanut cake with peanut frosting and peanuts on top, the color red, hiking and camping with his family and the Scout Troop, travelling, reading history and biographies, making and collecting wine, computer programming and trying new things like fly fishing and building fly rods.

Most of all, Jim loved being with his family - Maylie, the love of his life and his wife of more than 65 years; his five children, Deb Donaldson (John Wehr), Sue Donaldson (Paul Fletcher), Jim Donaldson (Ellen Anderman), Scott Donaldson (Tammy Donaldson) and Anne Flannery (Greg Flannery); his 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Jim will be deeply missed by his family.

Jim's family thanks the staff at Emerald Heights who cared for him in his last illness. His children give special thanks to their mother who was his constant companion and caregiver, and to his grandson Andrew Donaldson who lovingly assisted his grandfather in his last months.

A celebration of Jim's life is scheduled for Sunday, June 5 at 1:00 PM at Emerald Heights, Redmond WA.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Seattle Times on Apr. 3, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for James Donaldson

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2 Entries

Jason Decker

October 18, 2023

I'm so sad to just now learn of Dr. Donaldson's passing. He is by far the best Dr I have ever known in my lifetime and without him I would have never known how beautiful sound is because I'd be 98% deaf without his life changing surgeries including ear canal reconstruction, ear drum reconstruction, countless other surgeries and procedures from birth defect issues. When I started, i had to use a bone conduction hearing aid with a head band and now I wear a state of the art bluetooth completely in the ear aid no one can see. I am now 50 years old and have had a great career in sales, 21 years of marriage, raised 2 kids all which I attribute to the life he helped give me. Can you believe that I don't know sign-language? it's true! He treated me from the time I was born in 1973 until he retired. I got to visit him at the retirement home in Redmond. I will always remember his kindness and his laugh. When I was in kindergarten, he came to my school and did a show and tell with all my friends at Bellevue Christian. Thank you Dr. Donald! May you rest in peace !!!

December 16, 2016

So sad to learn of jims passing Sheila and I will hold you and the family in our prayers he was an inspiration to me and a model physician who I hope emulated his love of medicine patients and those he taught will be his legacy

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