Obituaries

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AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Frank G. Badame

Dr. Badame (ONT ’52), 84, Oakville, Ontario, died Sept. 5, 2013. He practiced small animal medicine in Ontario at Oakville and Mississauga for more than 60 years. Dr. Badame is survived by four daughters and five grandsons. Memorials may be made to Kitchener Rangers, c/o Head Strong, Michelle Fortin, 400 E. Ave., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2H 1Z6; or Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation, 4 Charles St. E., Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4Y 1T1.

Ferrin B. Kinghorn

Dr. Kinghorn (COL ’52), 92, Rigby, Idaho, died Sept. 17, 2013. A mixed animal veterinarian, he was the founder of Rigby Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Kinghorn served in the Navy during World War II, attaining the rank of lieutenant. His wife, Virginia; two sons and two daughters; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren survive him.

Matthew J. Murphy

Dr. Murphy (GA ’89), 55, Scotland, Pa., died Sept. 22, 2013. He owned Keystone Mobile Veterinary Services. Dr. Murphy is survived by his wife, Brenda; two sons and a daughter; and six grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Chambersburg Baptist Church Building Fund, 3492 Turnberry Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17202.

Major A. Nilson

Dr. Nilson (WSU ’53), 88, Carmichael, Calif., died Sept. 24, 2013. A mixed animal veterinarian, he established a practice in Carmichael in 1954, later expanding to include hospitals in California’s Citrus Heights and Roseville. Early in his career, Dr. Nilson worked an as extension pathologist and was an associate professor at the University of California-Davis. In 1996, he received the Washington State University Alumni Achievement Award.

Dr. Nilson served in the Merchant Marine during World War II. He was a past president of the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Elks Club, Rotary Club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Carmichael Chamber of Commerce twice named him Man of the Year and honored him in 2011 as Business Person of the Year. Dr. Nilson was also named honorary mayor of Carmichael three times in recognition of his community service. Active with the Boy Scouts, he received the Silver Bear and Silver Beaver awards.

Dr. Nilson’s wife, Lucy; a daughter and a son; and four grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Perpetual Education Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS Philanthropies, 1450 N. University Ave., Provo, UT 84604.

J. David Schaffer

Dr. Schaffer (AUB ’44), 91, LaGrange, Ga., died Oct. 16, 2013. He practiced mixed animal medicine in south and coastal Georgia for more than 50 years. During his career, Dr. Schaffer also taught at the University of Rhode Island and Brunswick Junior College. In retirement, he was a relief veterinarian.

Dr. Schaffer served in the Army Veterinary Corps as a captain during the Korean War. He was a past president of the Rotary Club of McIntosh County. Dr. Schaffer is survived by his wife, Joyce; two sons; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Kevin M. Wright

Dr. Wright (FL ’88), 50, Mesa, Ariz., died Sept. 26, 2013. An exotic animal veterinarian, he owned Wright Bird and Exotic Pet House Calls since 2012. Dr. Wright began his career as an associate veterinarian at South Kendall Animal Clinic in Miami. He later served as veterinarian at the Montgomery Zoo in Montgomery, Ala.; was contract veterinarian for the New Jersey State Aquarium; and served as curator and veterinarian at the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens. From 1999-2005, Dr. Wright worked at the Phoenix Zoo. During that time, he also served as adjunct professor of zoological medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Wright was an associate veterinarian at University Animal Hospital in Tempe, Ariz., from 2005-2007. He then founded Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital in Mesa, where he practiced until 2012.

A diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Dr. Wright was a past president of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterin­arians, a professional fellow of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, and a member of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians and Association of Avian Veterinarians. In 2008, the ARAV named him Exotic DVM of the Year. Dr. Wright was named Exotic Speaker of the Year in 2009 and 2012 by the North American Veterinary Conference. He co-authored the textbook “Amphibian Medicine and Captive Husbandry.”

Dr. Wright’s wife, Marlene, survives him. Memorials may be sent to C. Marlene Wright (with the memo line of the check notated to the Dr. Kevin Wright Memorial Fund), 2036 N. Gilbert Road, Suite 2-153, Mesa, AZ 85203.

Notifications

For an obituary to be published, JAVMA must be notified within six months of the date of death via a toll-free phone call at 800-248-2862, ext. 6754; email at newsatavma [dot] org (news[at]avma[dot]org); or fax at 847-925-9329.