Obituaries

Dr. Airhart (Texas A&M ’66), 74, Mesquite, Texas, died Dec. 18, 2016. He owned Town East Animal Hospital, a small animal practice in Mesquite, for 46 years. Earlier, Dr. Airhart was a captain in the Army, working in the biological warfare division at Fort Detrick, Maryland. He served on the Texas VMA board of directors and was a member of the Texas Academy of Veterinary Practice and Mesquite Rotary Club.Dr. Airhart’s wife, Jetta; four children and two stepchildren; and seven grandchildren survive him.

Dr. Allgood (Iowa State ’57), 82, Burlington, Iowa, died Nov. 18, 2016. Following graduation, he moved to Burlington and established Allgood Veterinary Clinic, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for more than 50 years.

Dr. Allgood was a past president of the Iowa VMA and founding director of the People-Pet Partnership at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1992, Iowa State University awarded him the Stange Award, its highest alumni honor, for distinguished service in veterinary medicine.

In his community, Dr. Allgood was a past president of the Burlington Education Foundation and Burlington School Board, was active with the Rotary Club and United Way, and served on the Burlington Public Library task force. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; four daughters and three sons; 21 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Dr. Don Allgood Living Waters Ministry Fund, First Presbyterian Church, 321 N. 5th St., Burlington, IA 52601; Friends of the Burlington Public Library Foundation, 210 Court St., Burlington, Iowa 52601; or Des Moines County Humane Society, 2000 N. Roosevelt Ave., Burlington, IA 52601.

Dr. Bellhorn (Auburn ’73), 69, Oviedo, Florida, died Dec. 5, 2016. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, he began his career in small animal practice in Lakeland, Florida. Dr. Bellhorn subsequently owned Seminole Veterinary Hospital in Sanford, Florida. He later taught at the University of Tennessee, worked in California, and served as an associate clinical professor at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2002, Dr. Bellhorn received the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence at Auburn. He co-founded the Central Florida Academy of Veterinary Medicine and was a member of the Florida VMA.

Dr. Bellhorn is survived by his wife, Marilyn; two sons; and four grandchildren. Memorials for research on progressive supranuclear palsy may be made to CurePSP Inc., 404 Fifth Ave., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Dr. Bello (Texas A&M ’68), 81, Southern Pines, North Carolina, died Oct. 4, 2016. An equine veterinarian, he was president of Sandhill Equine Center in Southern Pines since 1978 and was an adjunct professor of veterinary medicine at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2000. Known for his research on the effects of pharmaceuticals on equine health, Dr. Bello also consulted for several pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

He began his career at Louisiana State University as an associate professor of veterinary science. Dr. Bello subsequently became a professor and served as an associate member of the LSU graduate faculty and as an equine clinician during his tenure. He also served briefly as a visiting professor of large animal surgery and medicine at Auburn University in 1975. From 1977-1978, Dr. Bello was director and surgeon at the North Carolina Veterinary Research Foundation in Southern Pines.

He was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and American Association of Veter­inary Parasitologists and a fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Dr. Bello served on the Morris Animal Foundation Colic Panel from 1982-1986. His two sons survive him.

Dr. Dutton (Auburn ’79), 62, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, died Dec. 20, 2016. She owned a small animal practice in Kentucky’s Anderson County for several years. Dr. Dutton is survived by her husband, Clayton Weber; two daughters and a son; and a grandchild. Memorials may be made to Anderson Humane Society, P.O. Box 494, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342.

Dr. Fuller (Ohio State ’58), 83, Newark, Ohio, died Jan. 10, 2017. He was the founder of Newark Animal Hospital, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for more than 50 years. Early in his career, Dr. Fuller worked in Toledo, Ohio. In retirement, he presented equine seminars.

Dr. Fuller was a past president of the Ohio VMA; was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, United States Trotting Association, and American Animal Hospital Association; and served on the Ohio governor’s advisory committee on Standardbred racing. He was also active with the Rotary Club and Boy Scouts of America.

Dr. Fuller’s wife, Sharon, and two daughters survive him. Memorials may be made to the Newark Catholic Foundation, 1 Green Wave Drive, Newark, OH 43055; Newark Rotary Club Foundation, P.O. Box 8705, Newark, OH 43058; or Foundation for Hospice of Central Ohio, P.O. Box 430, Newark, OH 43058.

Dr. Gorham (Michigan State ’67), 78, Foster, Rhode Island, died July 23, 2016. He owned Foster Veterinary Clinic, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for more than 30 years. Dr. Gorham is survived by two daughters and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Scituate Animal Shelter, 106 George Washington Highway, Clayville, RI  02815.

Dr. Griffin (Oklahoma State ’00), 43, Muskogee, Oklahoma, died Nov. 13, 2016. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Animal Clinic of Rogers in Rogers, Arkansas, for more than 10 years. Dr. Griffin is survived by his parents, a brother, and two sisters. Memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 2130 W. Okmulgee St., Muskogee, OK 74401, or Humane Society of Cherokee County, P.O. Box 1354, Tahlequah, OK 74465.

Dr. Haas (Ohio State ’49), 88, Kalamazoo, Michigan, died Dec. 13, 2016. He worked in the medical services department of Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo prior to retirement.

Dr. Haas began his career practicing small animal medicine in Chicago. He subsequently moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he worked as an assistant editor for a veterinary medical publication. Dr. Haas later served as an adjunct professor of health sciences in the College of Health and Human Services at Western Michigan University and was affiliated with the university’s physician assistant program. He received the William G. Birch Association Educational Excellence Award in 1977 and again in 1985.

Dr. Haas co-authored Business Practices in Veterinary Medicine with his father, the late Kenneth B. Haas Sr., EdD. For several years, he coordinated donations of veterinary textbooks and miscellaneous other supplies for educational purposes in Latvia. During the Korean War, Dr. Haas was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Corps. He was a member of the Lions and Elks clubs.

Dr. Haas is survived by his wife, Rae; two daughters and a son; and a grandchild. Memorials may be made to the American Veterinary Medical History Society, 23 Wedgewood Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850.

Dr. Herlovich (Georgia ’58), 84, Preston, Georgia, died Nov. 20, 2016. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Lemon Bay Animal Hospital in Englewood, Florida, from 1978 until retirement in 1997. Before that, Dr. Herlovich owned Charlotte Animal Hospital in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Dr. Herlovich was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Rotary Club.

He is survived by his wife, Francine; two daughters; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. Memorials may be made to Suncoast Humane Society, 6781 San Casa Drive, Englewood, FL 34224.

Dr. Miller (Kansas State ’55), 85, Columbia, Missouri, died Oct. 4, 2016. In 1973, he joined the veterinary faculty of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine as a research associate, retiring in 1999 as an associate professor of veterinary pathology. Dr. Miller later served as director of the veterinary college’s Missouri Institute for Cattle Establishment Program for several years. Prior to joining academia, he practiced large animal medicine in Eureka, Kansas, and co-owned a mixed animal practice in Warrensburg, Missouri.

Dr. Miller was a diplomate and a past president of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, a past president of the Western Veterinary Conference, and a past director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. He was also a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and Missouri VMA and an honorary member of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practice. In 2004, the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine honored him with the Alumni Recognition Award. Dr. Miller received the WVC Meritorious Service Award in 2010 and was named Missouri Veterinarian of the Year in 2012.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; two daughters and a son; and three grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Missouri United Methodist Church (elevator fund), 204 S. 9th St., Columbia, MO 65201, or Dr. Bob Miller Food-Animal Scholarship, c/o Development Officer, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211.

Dr. Mitchell (Michigan State ’54), 85, Bonita Springs, Florida, died Nov. 11, 2016. From 1956-1988, he practiced in Carleton, Michigan, initially in mixed animal medicine, focusing later on small animals. Earlier, Dr. Mitchell served in the Army during the Korean War, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. He was a member of the Southeastern Michigan VMA. Dr. Mitchell’s wife, Jean; two sons; and three grandchildren survive him.

Dr. Moorhead (Kansas State ’57), 83, Tucson, Arizona, died Dec. 15, 2016. He served as a veterinary pathologist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster for 22 years prior to retirement. Earlier, Dr. Moorhead worked in Palestine, Illinois. His wife, Pat; three children; and six grandchildren survive him.

Dr. Netschert (Cambridge ’80), 66, Clifton, Virginia, died Nov. 29, 2016. He owned Clifton-Centreville Animal Clinic, a small animal practice in Centreville, Virginia, since 1984.  

Dr. Netschert also volunteered his services to the Fairfax County Police Department K-9 Unit and to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, held free spay-and-neuter clinics, and participated in investigations related to humane treatment of animals. His wife, Donna, and a daughter survive him.

Memorials may be made to the National Audubon Society, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190.

Dr. Nossov (Kansas State ’47), 90, Austin, Texas, died Dec. 17, 2016. He began his career working for the Department of Agriculture in Albany, New York, and Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1948, Dr. Nossov joined the Army Veterinary Corps, retiring as a colonel in 1977. From 1976-1993, he was a professional services veterinarian and Western regional manager for Hill’s Pet Products. Dr. Nossov later served as a consultant with Innovative Veterinary Diets for a year. He was a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and a lifetime member of the Texas VMA.

Dr. Nossov is survived by his longtime companion, Mary Adelman; a daughter and two sons; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. His daughter-in-law Dr. Patricia C. Nossov (Texas A&M ’82) is a retired Army Veterinary Corps veterinarian. Memorials may be made to AMEDD Museum Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 8294, San Antonio, TX 78208.

Dr. Rightmire (Washington State ’51), 91, Lynden, Washington, died Dec. 23, 2016. Following graduation, he worked briefly in Snohomish, Washington. Dr. Rightmire subsequently moved to Bellingham, Washington, where he served as a partner at Ebright Animal Hospital, practicing mixed animal medicine for almost four decades. He was charter president of the Washington State University Veterinary Alumni Association, receiving the WSU Alumni Achievement Award in 1982. Dr. Rightmire was a member of the Rotary Club of Bellingham, served on the Samish Camp Fire Council Board, and was active with the Boy Scouts of America. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Dr. Rightmire’s two daughters, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Dick Rightmire Memorial FFA Scholarship, P.O. Box 74, Ferndale, WA 98248, or Mount Baker FFA Boosters (memo line notated to Dr. Rightmire Memorial Fund), P.O. Box 162, Deming, WA 98244.

Dr. Rodgers (Tufts ’07), 56, Carmel, California, died Jan. 9, 2017. He was a relief veterinarian in Carmel, working both in emergency medicine and general practice. Early in his career, Dr. Rodgers practiced in Ellsworth, Maine. His wife, Alison Meyers, survives him. Memorials may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, P.O. Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090.

Dr. Simpson (California-Davis ’63), 85, Camarillo, California, died Nov. 27, 2016. Following graduation, he served as a captain in the Marine Corps. During his subsequent 40-year career in California, Dr. Simpson directed the pathology branch of the marine bioscience facility at what used to be a naval air station in Point Mugu, California; consulted for Sea World; owned an animal pathology service; served as a clinical assistant professor of pathology at the UC-Davis School of Medicine; and co-founded Newbury Park Veterinary Clinic in Newbury Park, California. While working at Point Mugu, he also trained and cared for dolphins and porpoises used in the detection of submarines and bombs during the Vietnam War.

Dr. Simpson’s wife, Cynthia; a son and a daughter; and three grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Humane Society of the United States, Dept: Memorial Donations, 1255 23rd St. NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037.

Dr. Villa (Guelph ’54), 93, Winnipeg, Manitoba, died Nov. 15, 2016. He owned Villa Veterinary Clinic, a small animal practice in Winnipeg. Dr. Villa was a member of the Rotary Club. He is survived by his wife, Adriana; two daughters and a son; and five grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Winnipeg Humane Society, 45 Hurst Way, Winnipeg,  MB R3T 0R3, Canada, or Rotary Club of Winnipeg West (Golden Rainbow Fund), 1405 St. Matthews Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3G 0K5, Canada.

Dr. Wellnitz (Auburn ’71), 69, Pewee Valley, Kentucky, died Oct. 26, 2016. Primarily a small animal veterinarian, he most recently worked at Chenoweth Lane Pet Clinic in Louisville. Dr. Wellnitz began his career as a captain in the Air Force. He subsequently practiced mixed animal medicine in Cynthiana, Kentucky, for two years. Dr. Wellnitz went on to own Plantation Animal Clinic in Louisville, Kentucky, for several years. His wife, Sue; two children; and a grandchild survive him.

Memorials, notated in memory of Dr. William Wellnitz, may be made to the Auburn University Foundation, College of Veterinary Medicine, 317 S. College St., Auburn, AL 36849.