James ("Jim" or "Jamie") Johnston Hale Carey, MD, of Spokane, WA, died peacefully on August 15, 2023 at the age of 90. Born in Briar Cliff Manor, New York on March 5, 1933, he was the youngest of 4 children to Westenra Henry and Priscilla Husted Carey. Graduating from The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey in 1951, Dr. Carey then went onto Yale, where he graduated with a BA in History in 1955.

Following graduation, Jim entered the US Navy, where he trained as an Aviator, flying helicopters from 1955-1958 and attained the rank of Lieutenant USNR. He then spent several years working in Finance on Wall Street. During this time, he came to realize that his life vision and goals were better suited to the field of medicine, and he was accepted into the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine graduating with a medical degree in 1966. Dr. Carey finished his medical training at Georgetown University Hospital (1966-1971) and worked the next three decades as a Nephrologist in Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Carey joined the division of Nephrology at Maryland General Hospital in 1972 and then that of St. Agnes Hospital in 1974, where he opened the first dialysis unit at that hospital. During his career at St Agnes Hospital, Dr. Carey served as Chief of Nephrology from 1973 until 1997. He served as medical director of the medical ICU from 1974 through 1985 and was president of the St. Agnes Medical Staff in 1996. Carey held other various leadership positions, including Chairman of the Maryland Commission on Kidney Disease (1990) and he was elected a Foundation member of St. Agnes Hospital's Healing Hands Society (which recognizes outstanding members of the hospital staff).

He was also a long-standing member of the Ethics Committee at St. Agnes Hospital. He loved working with patients and had a sense of community needs. This led to his opening the first dialysis facility outside the city of Baltimore in Howard County in 1982, which was a game-changer for patients and their families. Others soon followed.

Dr. Carey retired from the field of medicine in 1997 but remained an avid reader, researcher, and a true environmentalist. Even in the last decade of his life, he never failed to bless the world with his timelessness. Jim had one of the rarest qualities of all: the enthusiastic willingness to sit, listen, and learn about the ways in which the world was changing, and how he might grow with it. He became involved in the Yale Canter for Natural Carbon Capture (YCNCC) towards the end of his life, as a way he could both give back to his alma mater and have a positive impact on efforts to remove carbon from the environment in the fight against climate change.

Jim Carey was known for being a dog magnet, his movie star smile, his open and expansive mind, his generosity, and positive approach to life. These traits, combined with a sharp intelligence and keen sense of humor, made him easy to talk to, a natural leader and a true friend to all ages, who never held a grudge. He gave of himself throughout his life, loved deeply and was loved deeply in return. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Jana Howard Carey; his beloved daughter, Alexandra "Sasha" Carey (Steve Foster), from his first marriage, his Grandchildren, Alana, and Daniel Foster; his sister-in-law, Penelope B. Carey, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, other extended family, and friends. He was predeceased by his older brother, Hale, two older sisters, Eva and Dody and his first wife, Sarah Carey Reilly.

A Celebration of his Life will be held Saturday September 30 at 2 pm at the home of his daughter, Sasha Carey, 3306 East 71st Avenue Spokane, WA 99223

Published by Baltimore Sun on Sep. 24, 2023.