George Haugen, a doctor from another era

Dr. George Haugen was a physician from a bygone era, a solo general practitioner who made house calls and delivered babies.

Haugen, whose experience as a general practitioner and Navy physician helped him succeed as an emergency room doctor, died on March 24 in New Hope.

The former Brooklyn Center and Minnetrista resident was 87.

Haugen grew up in Fergus Falls, Minn., and graduated with a bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1941.

In 1944, he graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine, and joined the Navy, completing his internship at the Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Wash. He served on board ship as a medical officer, cruising the Aleutian Islands in Alaska and off the coast of Russia.

After serving his residency at Minneapolis' Fairview Hospital, he began his private practice in 1947.

The Navy called him back to active duty in 1953 to serve a stint as a flight surgeon in Japan and Korea.

"He was such a good guy," said Dr. Tom Timmons, who worked with Haugen, and now is vice president of medical affairs at North Memorial. "He was a no-nonsense guy, and all business at work,"

"He expected everybody around him to behave that way," said Timmons. "He was a role model for young doctors."

Kay Healey of Plymouth, a North Memorial nurse and emergency room leader, said Haugen shared his knowledge readily with the staff.

"He could diagnose well, because he had such compassion for people, and he had a wide range of intelligence about medicine in every field," said Healey.

Haugen also taught at the U's School of Medicine.

He traveled much of the world, visiting exotic locales such as Africa and New Zealand.

In 1994, he suffered a stroke that left him without speech and mobility, but still able to interact with people.

His wife, Lucy, a former Navy nurse he met while on duty in the 1940s, died in 1980.

He is survived by his daughters, Terry Haugen-Sjostrom of Edina and Jennifer Hystad of Eden Prairie; sons Steve of Jacksonville, Fla., and Peter of Plymouth; sister, Connie Rostad of Fergus Falls, and seven grandchildren.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. today at the Washburn-McReavy Edina Chapel, W. 50th St. & Hwy. 100.