Dr. Carl D.F. Jensen, 87, Founder Of Seattle Eye Clinic, Pioneer Surgeon

Carl D.F. Jensen, M.D. - a tall man with snowy hair and azure eyes - easily "iced" the competition.

He was first with several procedures in ophthalmology, first in yacht races and tough on the golf course.

"You didn't want to play bridge with him, either" said former colleague Dr. James Hargiss. "He'd win your day's labor."

Dr. Jensen got the edge, aside from a cool determination, with keen curiosity and humor. Wherever he was, from the operating theaters of Europe to the golf course at Pebble Beach, he'd be picking up tips from other pros.

"He was a wonderful sailor," said his wife, Carolyn Jensen of Seattle. "I taught him to sail."

A respected eye surgeon - he developed the Jensen Procedure for cataracts, which uses parts of healthy eye muscles to work for paralyzed muscles - he also liked to varnish, a good thing in one who fancies racing sloops.

Dr. Jensen died of a probable stroke June 18. He was 87.

Born of Danish-immigrant parents, Dr. Jensen graduated from Roosevelt High School, attended the University of Washington and graduated from University of Maryland Medical School.

After training at Maryland General Hospital and the Wills Eye Hospital, he set up in Seattle in 1934.

In World War II he served as a Navy eye surgeon in the South Pacific and Seattle Naval Hospital.

"We kicked around the idea for about three years," said Dr. Hargiss, "then with a colleague started Seattle Eye Clinic in 1958. It was one of the first specialty clinics. We could share expensive gear and also specialize. We could be better at different procedures that way."

Dr. Jensen's vision, so good in younger days, did dim with age.

"But it's like the shoemaker's children," said his wife. "He had cataracts, but he wouldn't have them operated on. I had to do all the driving at night."

Other survivors include his children Carl Jensen Jr., Richard Jensen and Marguerite Jensen Dodson, all of Seattle; Landon Wagoner, Bellevue; and Janney Jensen, Stanwood, Snohomish County; his sister Ingaborg Short, Seattle; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services are at 11 a.m. tomorrow in St. Therese Church, 3416 E. Marion St.

Remembrances may be made to Bishop Eye Foundation, c/o University of Washington Department of Ophthalmology, Box 356485, Seattle, WA 98195.