Charles Edward Hartford, M.D.

CHARLES EDWARD HARTFORD, M.D.

Iowa City

Charles Edward (Ed) Hartford, 88, passed away peacefully on March 24, 2021, at Oaknoll Retirement Community in Iowa City, Iowa.

At his request, no service will be held. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed toward Iowa City Hospice or the American Burn Association.

Ed was born June 8, 1932, to Arthur William and Sara Ruth (Schaeffer) Hartford in Palmerton, Pa. As a young boy, Ed had an aspiration of playing catcher for a major league baseball team, but his mother told him "he couldn't run fast enough," so he pursued a career in medicine. A logical transition.

He received his undergraduate degree from Franklin and Marshall University in 1954 in Lancaster, Pa., and graduated from Temple University Medical School in 1959. Ed enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17 and served two tours of duty in the Antarctic with Operation Deepfreeze, Airdevron 6 in the fall of 1960 and 1961, then finished a surgical residency at the University of Iowa from 1964 to 1969 after completing his service with the Navy.

As a physician, Ed was a pioneer in the field of burn assessment and treatment. In 1969, he was the major facilitator in starting the first burn unit in the state of Iowa at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. His career in burn care spanned the international arena. He was the president of the American Burn Association, wrote many papers and chapters on burn treatment, and was instrumental in developing techniques in burn care.

Ed so loved life and enjoyed his environment wherever he lived. He was an avid fly fisherman; was continually working on his golf game; played pool with the seriousness of Minnesota Fats and loved to ski the mountains of Summit County, Colo. He was extremely competitive and was always up for a game of cribbage or round of golf. He adored the two devoted black labs, Mickey and Amy, that he trained for pheasant hunting. Alas, both turned out to become great companions, but not hunting dogs, much to his chagrin and his wife's delight. Ed had a serious sweet tooth gene he passed along to his children and grandchildren, along with his stubbornness, perseverance, and exceptional organizational skills.

Ed married Kathryn Mary Delich in 1953 and is survived by their three children, Lois Burkett (Bill), Jean Boatman (Doug) and John Hartford. He has six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

His wife, Kathryn, whom he lovingly called "Bride," preceded him in death in 2006.

His family is grateful to the staff at Oaknoll Retirement Community and Iowa City Hospice for the exceptional care given to Ed during his time there.

Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.lensingfuneral.com.