OBITUARY

Ernest B. Haws, MD July 22, 1928-September 1, 1984

T WENTY years of medical practice, totally dedi- cated to the care of children, came to a tragic end

on September 1, 1984, when Ernest B. Haws died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

His medical career began at the University of Southern California where he received his M.D. degree. He then completed his internship at Los Angeles County General Hospital before entering General Practice. After one year in practice, he served in the United States Air Force for two years. Following this tour of duty, Dr Haws chose to resume his formal training in the field of surgery. He completed his General Surgery residency at Bellvue Hospital, New York University, and then headed west to Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles for his Thoracic Surgery training. It was during this time that he journeyed to the Boston Children's Hospital to spend six months in Cardiovascular Surgery under the auspices of Robert E. Gross. This was followed by a Pediatric Surgery residency at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital.

Upon completion of his formal training, Dr Haws came to Fresno, California, to begin practice as a Pediatric and Cardiac Surgeon. During the ensuing years his reputation spread over the entire San Joaquin Valley. He was known not only for the excellence of his surgical skills, but, more importantly, for his total devotion to the care of children. On many occasions, he was known to interrupt a trip to return to Fresno because a child was in need of his surgical skills. His

boundless energy made possible the growth of Valley Children's Hospital from a fledgling unit to the sophis- ticated center that it is today.

Dr Haws was a member of many societies including: Fellow, American College of Surgeons; Fellow, Surgi- cal and Oncology Sections of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Charter Member, American Pediatric Surgical Association; Founding Member, Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons, for which he had served as Treasurer for the last four years; and the British Association of Pediatric Surgeons.

Outside his profession, Dr Haws' interests were many and varied. He loved the outdoors and spent many of his spare moments in Yosemite Valley hiking and back-packing through the wilderness. Sailing was also a great love. Many of his happier moments were spent as a skipper on a small sailing craft with his daughter and friends. He enjoyed classical music and was extremely knowledgeable about opera. Dr Haws was a remarkable man who enjoyed life and never lost the capacity to expand his horizons.

Dr Haws was a devoted father to his daughter, Jennifer, his only immediate family. However, he also enjoyed a large extended family, being known as "Uncle Ernie" to the children of his close friends.

This warm, caring man, who devoted his life to the care of children, will be missed greatly by all whose lives he touched.

David Hodge, MD

Journal of Pediatric Surgery, Vo120, No 3 (June), 1985: p 297 297