As many of you know we are trying to provide more opportunities for our ever-increasing retired physicians.

We recently sent out a retired member survey and got a good response. We were delighted to hear that communications via the newsletter, event invitations, emails, and surveys are quite popular. However, the blog, podcasts, and social media aren’t being used as much. Please let us know how we can make these more accessible and appealing to you.

We are grateful for your Speaker Series guest ideas and will be inviting the people suggested. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Director of Communications, Josh Kerns, with other suggestions (jkerns@kcmsociety.org).

Identifying volunteer opportunities for our retired medical members continues to be of great interest. While you are retired, you have so much to offer. Please notify our Membership Project Manager, Reed Belcher (jreed@kcmsociety.org), with any suggestions about how you have been volunteering or would like to engage.  We will be promoting some new partnerships and opportunities soon.

November 4, 1922 - April 25, 2019

Alec Stevens was born in New York City to Alexander and Mary Lane, who met over the operating table in France during WWI. He was an only child.

Alec graduated from Yale (1943) and Cornell University Medical College (1946), both condensed because of the war. In New York he met Jane Hartwell, who was in nursing school. They married in Portland, OR on New Year’s Eve in 1947. They had 3 daughters, Mary Lane (Tom Hard), Victoria (Alan Drengson), and Eugenia (Nat Wheelwright). Later came 5 grandchildren and now 2.5 great-grandchildren.

Alec served in the Army in Heidelberg post-WWII and loved his time there. He returned to Seattle where he practiced internal medicine and was a clinical professor at the University of Washington. After retirement he and Jane went to León, Nicaragua where Alec helped teach hematology in 1988. This intensified his fascination with Latin America where he visited often as an election observer.

Alec had a passion for classical music, which he transmitted to his 3 daughters. Other things he loved: chocolate ice cream, Joyce Carol Oates, Mozart, Manhattans, tiefe Schnee, family solidarity, Alstead Center, golf, Fezziwig, adventures with Jane.

Alec was saddened by the thought of anyone going hungry, so memorial gifts may be made to a local food bank or his beloved Seattle Opera. A memorial gathering will be held at Horizon House, 900 University St, on June 29th at 3pm.

JUNE 30, 1922 – APRIL 2, 2019

Dr. Julian Samuel Ansell, born in Portland Maine on June 30, 1922, passed away at age 96 on April 2, 2019.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Eva R. Ansell, their five children: Steven Ansell (Mary), Jody Ansell (Matthew McKinnon), Carol Grant (Robert), Ellen Ansell (Rick Rogow) and Peter Ansell, eight grandchildren and his sister, Shirley Brown.

Julian led a life of service, the needs of his patients surpassed only by those of his family.

Julian enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941 and served in communications until the end of WWII. Via the Corps, he received his Baccalaureate from Bowdoin College in 1946.

Julian and Eva (nee Ballin) met in 1949 when they were both working at a summer resort in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. They married in 1951. It was a big year for Julian who also received his Doctor of Medicine from Tufts University in 1951. The couple moved to Minneapolis, MN, where Julian completed his internship in surgery and residency in urology, and received his PhD in 1959, all at the University of Minnesota. Their first three children were born in Minneapolis in 1954, 1955 and 1957.

In 1959, the family moved to Seattle where Julian had been appointed head of the Division of Urology at the University of Washington, and the last two of five children were born in 1960 and 1964. In 1965 Julian became the first chair of the Department of Urology. He continued service as chair until 1987. He practiced and taught at the University until 1992, when he became professor emeritus. Additionally, he provided medical care at Harbor View and Children’s hospitals, and to patients at Ft. Lewis.

Julian did seminal work in closure of neonatal extrophy of the bladder. His research included renal sparing surgery; smoking and bladder cancer; wound healing in infected and irradiated tissues; reflux and renal failure as well as other areas of interest.

He served as President of the Society of University Urologists in 1979. He was a member of the Medical Quality Assurance Commission of Washington State and served as its chair in 2001.

Along with his professional and athletic accomplishments, Julian will be remembered by his family and friends for his wit and sense of humor, his love of puns and crossword puzzles, his skill as a raconteur and his loyalty to family.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in the name of Julian Ansell to The Mountaineers at www.mountaineers.org or 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle 98115