Obituaries

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Carl T. Armstrong Jr.

Dr. Armstrong (Illinois ’61), 82, Quincy, Illinois, died Dec. 2, 2014. He practiced at Armstrong-Reich Veterinary Clinic from 1961 until retirement in 1997. Dr. Armstrong was a member of the Illinois State VMA. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge and Elks Lodge. Dr. Armstrong served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He is survived by his wife, Carol; a son and two daughters; and six grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.

Janet K. Becker

Dr. Becker (Michigan State ’88), 50, Hillsboro, Oregon, died July 29, 2014. She was a small animal practitioner.

Patricia N. Chism

Dr. Chism (Oklahoma State ’95), 54, Etna, California, died Nov. 19, 2014. In 2006, she moved to the Scott Valley area of California’s Siskiyou County, where she established a large animal practice. Earlier, Dr. Chism practiced equine medicine in California at Santa Ynez and Salinas. She was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Dr. Chism is survived by her husband, Dennis Moyles; four stepchildren; and six grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the AAEP, 4075 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511.

Sidney F. Hanks

Dr. Hanks (Colorado State ’44), 93, Strasburg, Colorado, died Nov. 19, 2014. He was the former owner of Strasburg Veterinary Clinic, where he practiced primarily large animal medicine until retirement. Dr. Hanks was a member of the Colorado VMA and served on the board of directors of the Intermountain Rural Electric Association for nearly 30 years. His three daughters, two sons, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren survive him. Dr. Hanks’ son and daughter-in-law, Drs. Kenneth Hanks and Dyanne Caprio, both 1985 graduates of the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, practice at Strasburg Veterinary Clinic. Also practicing at the clinic is Dr. Reed Hank (Colorado State ’92), a cousin of Dr. Hanks. Another cousin, Dr. Gary Deter (Colorado State ’60), is a retired equine practitioner in Salinas, California.

Memorials may be made to Prairie Creeks Living Center, 56175 Sunset Ave., Strasburg, CO 80136.

John D. Lanz

Dr. Lanz (Iowa State ’64), 80, Norfolk, Nebraska, died Dec. 24, 2014. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Wauneta, Nebraska, prior to retirement. Earlier, Dr. Lanz practiced in Nebraska at Pender, Bassett, and McCook. He was a veteran of the Air Force and a member of the American Legion. Dr. Lanz’s wife, Peggy; two sons; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren survive him.

Gerald E. Lewis

Dr. Lewis (Pennsylvania ’58), 82, Kyle, Texas, died Nov. 11, 2014. A mixed animal veterinarian, he owned Amanda Animal Hospital in Spencerville, Ohio, from 1968 until retirement in 1997. Dr. Lewis also raised Polled Hereford cattle. Earlier in his career, he worked in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and owned Spencerville Animal Hospital. Dr. Lewis was a past president of the Lima Area Academy of Small Animal Medicine and a member of the Ohio VMA. He is survived by his wife, Theresa; two sons; an adopted daughter; and eight grandchildren. Memorials toward the Audubon Society or Heifer International may be made c/o Thomas E. Bayliff Funeral Home, 728 E. 4th St., Spencerville, OH 45887.

Wayne L. Mogavero

Dr. Mogavero (Ross ’86), 59, Fort Myers, Florida, died Nov. 4, 2014. He owned and served as medical director of Tails-A-Waggin Animal Hospital and Pet Resort in Fort Myers. Dr. Mogavero was a member of the Florida VMA. His three daughters and a son survive him. Dr. Mogavero’s cousin, Dr. Terry Clekis (Georgia ’83), practices at Braden River Animal Hospital in Bradenton, Florida.

John W. Montgomery

Dr. Montgomery (Tuskegee ’50), 97, Poteau, Oklahoma, died Dec. 5, 2014. He was the founder of LeFlore County Veterinary Clinic in Poteau, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for more than 35 years prior to retirement. During that time, Dr. Montgomery introduced the concept of preventive medicine to local farmers, promoted herd health certification, and performed artificial insemination in cattle.

He served two terms on and twice chaired the Oklahoma State University board of regents, also helping with the efforts to establish the university’s veterinary teaching hospital. Dr. Montgomery received Tuskegee University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980. In 1996, Oklahoma State University honored Dr. Montgomery with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. He was named Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year and inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2001.

Active in civil rights efforts, Dr. Montgomery helped organize the LeFlore County Branch of the NAACP and played an important role in the integration of local public schools, restaurants, and other entities. He was an Army veteran of World War II.

Dr. Montgomery’s son and daughter, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren survive him. His daughter, Dr. Mildred Randolph (Tuskegee ’83), is director of laboratory animal medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Memorials may be made to Prairie View A&M University, Office of Development­­–John Montgomery Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 519, MS 1200, Prairie View, TX 77446.

Antje H. Neubert

Dr. Neubert (Auburn ’70), 69, Crystal River, Florida, died Oct. 19, 2014. A small animal veterinarian, she owned Crystal River Animal Hospital. Dr. Neubert is survived by her companion, Rex Durbin.

George E. Pickens

Dr. Pickens (Auburn ’59), 80, Mayfield, Kentucky, died Nov. 2, 2014. He was a former partner at Mayfield Veterinary Clinic. During his career, Dr. Pickens also served as a food safety inspector for the Department of Agriculture. He was a past president of the Kentucky VMA, a past chair of the AVMA Group Health & Life Insurance Trust, and a past trustee of the AVMA PLIT. Dr. Pickens was a veteran of the Army. His wife, Gloria; a son and four daughters; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren survive him.

Donald N. Rasmussen

Dr. Rasmussen (Illinois ’71), 69, Silex, Missouri, died July 26, 2014. A mixed animal veterinarian, he began his career working in veterinary practices in Fort Madison, Iowa, and Albion, Illinois. Dr. Rasmussen then served as an inspector for the Department of Agriculture in Alabama. He later joined and became a partner at Troy & Wentzille Veterinary Clinics Inc., serving multiple counties in eastern Missouri.

Dr. Rasmussen’s wife, Lenora; two sons and a daughter; and four grandchildren survive him. Memorials toward Calvary Chapel Winfield or Lincoln County Medical Centre Auxiliary Nursing Scholarship Fund may be made c/o McCoy-Blossom Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 1304 Boone St., Troy, MO 63379.

James L. Shupe

Dr. Shupe (Cornell ’52), 94, Hyde Park, Utah, died Oct. 8, 2014. He taught and served as an administrator and research scientist at Utah State University prior to retirement. During his career, Dr. Shupe also served five years as a research veterinarian with the Department of Agriculture and lectured and consulted worldwide on fluoridation.

He was a past president of the American College of Toxicology and Utah VMA and a past member of the Utah Air Conservation Council. During his tenure at USU, Dr. Shupe received several awards for his service, and the James LeGrande Shupe Achievement Award was established in his honor.

Dr. Shupe is survived by his wife, Faye; two sons; and three grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Perpetual Education Fund, 50 E. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150.

William D. Stafford

Dr. Stafford (Georgia ’60), 78, Narrows, Virginia, died Oct. 24, 2014. In 1981, he moved to Narrows, where he established Stafford Animal Clinic, a mixed animal practice. Dr. Stafford also farmed and worked at Narrows Livestock Market for more than 20 years. Earlier, he owned Blacksburg Animal Clinic in Blacksburg, Virginia. Dr. Stafford was a member of the Virginia VMA and Giles County Farm Bureau Cooperative. His wife, Sandra; a son and two daughters; and four grandchildren survive him.

James C. Walker

Dr. Walker (Kansas State ’62), 77, Concordia, Kansas, died Nov. 26, 2014. During his career, he owned mixed animal practices in Glasco, Kansas; Broadview, Illinois; and Concordia. Dr. Walker also farmed and ranched. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; three daughters; 10 grandchildren; four stepchildren; and seven stepgrandchildren. Memorials toward Moody Bible Institute, NCK Teen for Christ, or Kansas Bible Camp may be made c/o Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, 325 W. 6th St., Concordia, KS 66901.

Obituary notifications

Please report the death of a veterinarian promptly to the JAVMA News staff via a toll-free phone call to 800-248-2862, ext. 6754; email to newsavma [dot] org (news[at]avma[dot]org); or fax to 847-925-9329.

For an obituary to be published, JAVMA must be notified within six months of the date of death.