Dana Bruce Hanford, 75, of Bainbridge Island, died Dec. 20 at his home, of complications from emphysema.

He was born New Year’s Day, 1929, in Scranton, Pa., to Anne (Hoeflich) and Reginald Hanford. He grew up and attended schools in Reading, Pa.

After graduating from high school in 1945, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. His musical talents on piano and clarinet earned him the classification of entertainment specialist, and he later served at Walter Reed Hospital as medical technician.

He entered Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1948. After earning a bachelor of science degree in psychology, he began graduate studies in clinical psychology at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. There he met Frances Mason, whom he married in 1953. They started their family in Lawrence, where their three children were born.

At KU, he was introduced to mentor John Chotlos, whose phenomenological and existential teachings permanently influenced his humanistic approach to psychological treatment.

He received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from KU in 1955 and 1958. He was a clinical psychologist for the Veterans Administration in Lawrence and an instructor in psychology at the university.

In 1961 the family moved to Anacortes, Wash. There he and two colleagues, John Lubach and John Deiter, were engaged to plan and reorganize the hospital’s psychiatric units.

Under grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, he established an innovative program to provide psychotherapy and evaluation at Northern State Hospital. It later became a successful model for mental health care services.

Subsequently, with his colleagues Ralph Hummel, John Lubach and Beverly Olson, he co-designed Washington State’s comprehensive community mental health program. It was implemented to serve Kitsap, Clallam and Jefferson counties. This research on experimental programs was published in many professional journals.

In 1970, he founded Olympic Mental Health Associates, the only mental health facility of its kind in Kitsap County at the time. From 1970 to 1997, he served as a consultant for the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

He settled with his family on Bainbridge Island in 1965. He was an avid sailor, and enjoyed racing and cruising on his sloop with his family and friends.

He sang in the St. Barnabas choir, and played piano, clarinet and guitar. Many members of his family are musicians and singers, and he enjoyed playing music with them over the years. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz history and performers.

His children and grandchildren were of foremost importance in his life, and he was known for his clever wit and wordplay.

His wife Francis preceded Dana in death in 2001. In 2004 he married Elizabeth McLean Petras.

He is survived by his wife; three children, Caitlin (Chris) of Toronto, Canada, Dana Jr. (Jessica), and Robert (Barbara) of Bainbridge Island; cousins Margery Fox and Doris Boutwell of Inverness, Fla.; and grandchildren Jenny, Daniel, Helen, Alison, Jesse, Jonathan, and great grandchildren Lila and Robert.

Service will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 26 at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Helpline House of Bainbridge, 282 Knechtel Way, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.