"Dr. James Hayward was unique. Despite his impressive credentials and the awards and honors he earned during his career, he never tooted his own horn," said Dr. Ole Jensen (MS '80), an oral surgeon in Englewood, Colorado.
"What impressed me the most about him was his integrity. He was a man of character. He always wanted to do what was right. And it showed in the way he managed his patients, his students, and himself."
Recalling his days as a student at U-M, Jensen said Hayward was "a very challenging educator. He kept you on your toes and made sure you kept your nose to the grindstone. He was also a very good listener.
Jensen said there were times when Hayward would spend hours listening to a patient to learn more about his or her problems. "That ability to really listen to a person was one of his many admirable traits and one in particular I've attempted to emulate throughout my career," Jensen said.
And there was one bit of advice Hayward offered that Jensen said he has always remembered. That advice was to "treat every one of your patients as though they were your loved one."
"I can't think of anyone I admire more in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery than Dr. James Hayward," Jensen said. "He embodies the eloquence of a teacher, the skill of a surgeon, and the character of Lincoln. That's why I have made my $100,000 gift to the Dr. James Hayward Endowed Professorship in Oral Surgery."