Wallace Lynn Labaw

Wallace died on March 5, 2018 at the age of 90 with his wife, Jeanine, by his side. He was born in 1928 to Elburn LaBaw and Mary White and grew-up in Athens, OH. At 18, he enlisted in the Army and served in Germany during the Berlin Airlift. After discharge, he returned to Athens to attend Ohio University. In college, he met and married Patricia Roberts and they began their family. He graduated, from the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati. After a Family Practice Internship in Denver, he started practice in Broomfield. For some time, he was the only family doctor and wore many hats, including obstetrician, anesthesiologist and surgeon (minor wounds). He earned a federal grant to train as a psychiatrist, a career he had decided on when he was still in elementary school. After completing a 2 year Psychiatric Residency Program and a 2 year Child Psychiatric Fellowship, Wallace began his private practice in psychiatry in 1969. He and Pat later divorced. In his residency, he became interested in the medical use of hypnosis and studied the use of hypnosis in children with cancer, burns and hemophilia. This last interest led to many awards, both national and international. He also published numerous professional articles and then wrote a book and 3 monographs about Colorado and its history.

In 1973, Wallace met and in 1974, married Jeanine Schutz. They spent 45 years together with hardly more than one week apart at any time. Jeanine is a Nurse Practitioner and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Together, the LaBaw’s traveled the US and the world speaking at various conferences and teaching classes in clinical hypnosis to other professionals. They started the first summer camp in Colorado for young men and youths afflicted with hemophilia which they ran for 2 years on a grant from the State Legislature. The camp then ran under the auspices of the Colorado Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation but they continued to consult to it. In the 1970s and 80s their work was featured in various local and national media, both television and print. Of note, Bill Moyer’s Journal aired a 30 minute program on PBS highlighting Wallace’s groundbreaking work and included Jeanine’s contributions, as well. The LaBaws were in private practice in both Broomfield and Denver and co-wrote several articles and a book about hypnosis and one about Meriwether Lewis. Wallace semi-retired in 1999 and then worked 3 days a week at North Range Behavioral Health in Greeley, CO. He fully retired a few months short of his 84th birthday.

Throughout his long life, Wallace’s main passion was always medicine. However, he and Jeanine also reveled in traveling both for professional events and personal reasons. They most enjoyed viewing animals in their natural habitat or exploring ancient ruins. To these ends, they visited all 7 continents and more than 100 countries.

With Jeanine holding his hand, Wallace died peacefully in his sleep. He is survived by Jeanine and his 5 children, Mike (Cheryl), Jeff, Robin, Tim and Terry Prince (Bob). He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and his first wife, Pat. A private family Celebration of Life will be held. Per his wishes, Wallace’s ashes will be scattered in places he loved and by those who loved him.

Contributions may be made in his name to the World Wild Life Fund or to an animal conservation program of donor’s choice.