Major Hayyim Allen Grossman, U.S.A.F., Retired, Ph.D.
January 16, 1935 to August 20, 2016
Born Howard Allen McLaughlin on a homestead in Ambrose, North Dakota, and raised as a farm boy there and in Bemidji, Minnesota. Came to the Northwest as a teenager and graduated from Lincoln High School in Tacoma. Served one enlistment in the U.S. Army after high school, then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he was quickly selected for a fast-track program. Graduated from OCS then flight School in 1955, flew missions in Vietnam where he earned a Bronze Star, and retired from the Air Force in 1976. He then rapidly finished his B.A., two masters degrees, and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Washington State University. Practiced clinical psychology in Bellingham for 20 years, developed the protocols for managing PTSD that were eventually adopted by the U.S. government, and continued volunteer work with PTSD vets until his death.
He loved flying and flew for the Civil Air Patrol for more than 20 years on search and rescue missions with his good friend and flying buddy Lt. Col. Richard Shortridge. He loved his apple trees, his Bullmastiffs, his five cats, and his horse Muffin. He loved restoring cars and tinkering with his antique tractor and anything mechanical.
He will be desperately missed by his wife Elizabeth; his sons Brandon, Larry, and Sean; his sister Elvina and his brother Jimmy; his nephew Anthony McLaughlin; his cousin Steve Andreason; his daughter Kelly; and many other friends and family members too numerous to list.
Burial with military honors will be at 1:00 p.m. on September 19 at Woodinville Cemetery.
