Dr. Nicholas G. Ward

Nicholas WARD Dr. Nicholas G. Ward, a University of Washington professor emeritus, passed away peacefully at Gaffney House in Seattle, WA on October 28, 2008 after a seven year battle with Parkinson's Disease with Dementia. He was born the fifth of five boys on November 8, 1947 in Green Village, New Jersey. Nick graduated from Cornell University and completed his MD degree at Cornell Medical School. He then moved to Madison, WI where he completed his psychiatric residency. He continued his westward migration in 1975 with a move to Seattle where he started his career as a psychiatry professor at the University of Washington Medical School and as a practicing psychiatrist at the University of Washington Medical Center and at Harborview Medical Center. He also was chairman of the second year medical school course in psychiatry for many years. Nick truly enjoyed his work with patients and as a teacher with his students. While teaching at the University of Washington Medical School he was honored with a University of Washington Distinguished Teaching Award in 1983 and was twice the recipient of the School of Medicine Outstanding Teacher Award, in 1997 and 1999. Both the Medex classes and medical student classes repeatedly honored him with Excellence in Teaching awards. Dr Richard Veith, Chair of the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, remembers Nick as "a curious, energetic and talented clinician with special expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of depression and bipolar illness. He was also an unusually charismatic, gifted and award-winning teacher who enriched those of us who were privileged to work with him by his irrepressible charm and optimism." He co-authored two books on psychiatric treatment and psychiatric drugs and was recognized nationally and internationally for his academic work and research. His mind was always active and he would get up enthusiastically at 5:00 a.m. each day and spend several quiet hours writing. Nick will be remembered by his family, friends and all who knew him as consistently smart, kind, thoughtful and funny. His kindness and optimism were contagious, and he shared his sense of fun and living in the present with everyone he encountered. He appreciated humor in all its forms, finding it in words, puns and every day life. He was devoted to his family and loved hiking, camping and backpacking with them in the Cascades and recording all their adventures with his beautiful photography. Nick's interests were varied and he read voraciously, wrote poetry,and enjoyed traveling, any new adventure, swimming, and skiing but he was most happy spending time and enjoying activities with his family, his beloved pets, and friends. Nick is survived locally by his wife of 30 years, Jean; son Galen; daughter Joanna and son-in-law Eric Hanisko; and extended family; Joan and Dan Clement, niece Bethany and nephew Nathan. He is also survived by three older brothers: Edward Ward (Sally) of New Jersey; Richard (Margo) of Virginia; and Corry of Florida as well as numerous nieces and nephews and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents E. Geoffory and Eleanor Ward and brother Jeff Ward. His family would like to thank Providence Hospice and Gaffney House, an assisted living house, where Nick received consistently loving and kind care for the past several years. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 15, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., at the University Friends Meeting, 4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle. Details available online at nicholaswardmemorial.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nick's name to: Elder Health Northwest (elderhealth.org), the Humane Society of Seattle/King County (seattlehumane.org), or to the University of Washington specifying it is for the "UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences training programs."