GARDNER, W. JAMES, JR., M.D. (12 June 1898-29 Jan. 1987), called the "grandfather of neurosurgery" in Ohio (because he trained so many neurosurgeons) , served as chief of neurosurgery at the CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION (1929-62, emeritus 1974-87) and at FAIRVIEW GENERAL HOSPITAL (1964-67) and also practiced at the LUTHERAN MEDICAL CENTER and Huron Road Hospital (1964-74, see MERIDIA HURON ROAD HOSPITAL). Gardner developed the Gardner neurosurgical chair to facilitate brain surgery (1938); he helped develop a pneumatic suit to maintain blood pressure (1956); and numerous other devices and methods. Gardner was born in McKeesport, PA, to Sara Lucy Gongaware and W. James Gardner, Sr., a general surgeon. He attended public school and graduated from Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA, (1920) and the University of Pennsylvania's medical school (1924).
WILLIAM EDGAR LOWER hired the young physician to replace Dr. Charles E. Locke, who had perished earlier that year in the CLEVELAND CLINIC DISASTER. Gardner served as a founding member of the Cleveland Clinic's Board of Governors (1955-59), the Northern Ohio Neurological Society (est. 1968), and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons which awarded him the Cushing Medal (1982). He presided over the Society of Neurological Surgeons and was vice president of the Harvey Cushing Society. In retirement, he consulted for Euclid General Hospital (see MERIDIA EUCLID HOSPITAL), ST. ALEXIS HOSPITAL, ST. LUKE'S MEDICAL CENTER, and MT. SINAI MEDICAL CENTER. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons honored him (1967), and the Cleveland Clinic created a lectureship in his name (1985).
Gardner married Ann Ray Kieffer in 1928; they had 3 children, June Mallinckrodt, Dr. W. James, III, and Hugh Blaine. Gardner died in Ogden, Utah.
W. James Gardner, Jr. Papers, Cleveland Clinic Foundation Archives.