Obituaries
AVMA member
AVMA honor roll member
Nonmember
Orley Arthur
Dr. Arthur (COL '62), 78, Roundup, Mont., died Aug. 1, 2011. A mixed animal practitioner, he owned Roundup Veterinary Clinic from 1967-2000. Dr. Arthur was a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and Montana VMA. His wife, Edith, and four sons survive him.
Atwood C. Asbury
Dr. Asbury (MSU '56), 80, Versailles, Ky., died Nov. 17, 2011. Prior to retirement in 1996, he was head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and chief of staff of the Large Animal Teaching Hospital at the University of Florida. During his tenure at the university, Dr. Asbury also served as acting dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Earlier in his career, he practiced large animal medicine in California and was a member of the veterinary faculty at the University of California-Davis. Dr. Asbury was a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists and a past president of the Society for Theriogenology. In retirement, he served as a veterinary consultant for the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and bred Thoroughbreds. In 1995, Dr. Asbury was named a Distinguished Veterinary Alumnus by the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. His wife, Clare, and two sons survive him.
John F. Bender
Dr. Bender (WSU '47), 88, Seattle, died June 24, 2011. He owned a small animal practice in Seattle. During his career, Dr. Bender also worked for the Department of Agriculture, helped establish an emergency veterinary service in Seattle, and served as a volunteer emergency veterinarian for King County Animal Control. In 1994, he was named Washington State Veterinarian of the Year.
George R. Blind
Dr. Blind (OSU '57), 83, Norton, Ohio, died Nov. 10, 2011. He was the founder of Barberton Veterinary Clinic in Norton, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for five years and then small animal medicine for 33 years. Dr. Blind was also a founder of the Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Copley, Ohio. A past president of the Ohio VMA, Ohio Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, and Summit County VMA, he was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association. Dr. Blind received several honors, including the OSU Alumni Recognition Award in 1983 and the Ohio Animal Health Foundation Award in 1990. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Active in civic life, Dr. Blind was a past president of the Barberton Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Kiwanis and Elks. His wife, Jeannette, and three sons survive him. Memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church, 211 3rd St. NW, Barberton, OH 44203.
Raymond T. Copeland
Dr. Copeland (GA '53), 89, Greensboro, N.C., died Oct. 15, 2011. Prior to retirement in 1990, he owned a large animal practice in Greensboro, focusing on equine medicine. Earlier in his career, Dr. Copeland owned a small animal practice in Greensboro for 32 years. He owned and bred bird dogs and helped develop a judges rule book for the U.S. Complete Shooting Dog Association. Dr. Copeland was a charter member of the After Hours Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Greensboro and was a past president of the North Carolina Veterinary Research Foundation. He was also a life member of the North Carolina VMA and a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Dr. Copeland served in the Air Force during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Lorena, and two sons. Memorials may be made to the Copeland/Holden Endowment Fund at College Place United Methodist Church, 509 Tate St., Greensboro, NC 27403; or Children's Home Society of North Carolina, P.O. Box 14608, Greensboro, NC 27415.
Julius Fabricant
Dr. Fabricant (UP '42), 92, Ithaca, N.Y., died Nov. 11, 2011. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, he had been professor emeritus of avian diseases at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine since 1986.
Following graduation, Dr. Fabricant served as a meat inspector with the Department of Agriculture. He earned his doctorate from Cornell and, in 1949, joined the faculty. During his tenure, Dr. Fabricant served as acting chair of the Department of Avian and Aquatic Animal Medicine. He was known for his expertise in avian diseases, especially those involving mycoplasmas and respiratory viruses. He was known for his studies on infectious bronchitis and chronic respiratory disease in chickens. Dr. Fabricant helped isolate the virus that caused duck virus enteritis on Long Island and collaborated with his late wife, Catherine, on seminal studies identifying the Marek's disease herpesvirus as a cause of atherosclerosis in chickens. He was a founding member of the American Association of Avian Pathologists and received the AAAP Special Service Award in 1988. Dr. Fabricant's daughter and son survive him.
James B. Fox
Dr. Fox (MSU '59), 76, Wayland, Mich., died Sept. 15, 2011. From 1988 until retirement in 1999, he practiced small animal medicine in Wayland. Following graduation, Dr. Fox joined Alamo Animal Hospital, a small animal practice in Alamogordo, N.M. From 1960-1966, he worked for the Department of Agriculture, involved in brucellosis and tuberculosis testing. Dr. Fox then owned Blue Star Animal Hospital in South Haven, Mich., until 1988. He was a past president of the Michiana VMA and a member of the Michigan VMA. Dr. Fox's wife, Barbara; two sons; and two daughters survive him. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association of Michigan, 3940 Peninsular Drive SE, Suite 180, Grand Rapids, MI 49546; or National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, 1169 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108.
Frederick L. Helm
Dr. Helm (KSU '69), 66, Hilo, Hawaii, died June 2, 2011. He joined the Army as a captain following graduation. During his more than 30-year military service, Dr. Helm participated in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm, retiring as a colonel. He was a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Dr. Helm is survived by a son and a daughter.
Kevin D. Kuenzi
Dr. Kuenzi (KSU '88), 49, Perry, Kan., died July 28, 2011. He owned Dr. Kevin's Veterinary Clinic in Perry and Oskaloosa, Kan., for several years. Dr. Kuenzi's wife, Shari; four sons; and a daughter survive him. Memorials toward the Dr. Kevin D. Kuenzi Memorial Fund may be sent c/o Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, P.O. Box 416, Oskaloosa, KS 66066.
Carlton H. Lamar
Dr. Lamar (PUR '66), 71, West Lafayette, Ind., died May 31, 2011. Prior to retirement, he served as an associate professor of veterinary medicine at Purdue University for more than 30 years. Dr. Lamar was a past president of the American Association of Veterinary Anatomists. His wife, Karman, and two daughters survive him. Memorials may be made to Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN 47907; or Alzheimer's Association, 919 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60611.
John Q. Mitten
Dr. Mitten (WSU '65), 71, Snohomish, Wash., died Oct. 21, 2011. An equine practitioner, he was a founder of Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital in Snohomish, where he practiced for more than 30 years. Dr. Mitten was a member of the Washington State VMA and was named Practitioner of the Year in 1997. His two daughters and two sons survive him. One daughter, Dr. Laurie Beard (WSU '91), is an associate clinical professor at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Kenneth H. Randolph
Dr. Randolph (ISU '50), 88, Bettendorf, Iowa, died Sept. 6, 2011. He owned a mixed animal practice in Lost Nation, Iowa, from 1950 until retirement in 1997. Dr. Randolph was a member of the Iowa VMA and a past member of the IVMA Biologic and Therapeutic Committee. In 2000, he was named Iowa Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Randolph served as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army Transportation Corps during World War II and participated in the Battle of the Bulge and the Independence Day of the Philippines. He was a member of the American Legion. Dr. Randolph is survived by his wife, Carmaleta, and three children.
J. Wayne Rehn
Dr. Rehn (IL '61), 74, Alpha, Ill., died Oct. 9, 2011. He practiced in Illinois at Geneseo and Alpha for 30 years, focusing on production medicine. Dr. Rehn was a past chief executive officer and representative of the AVMA PLIT. He was also a past president of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards and Mississippi Valley VMA and was a past chair of the Illinois State VMA board of directors. Dr. Rehn was a past member of what is now known as the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Cattle Research Committee. He was also a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
Dr. Rehn served in the Air Force from 1961-1963. Active in civic life, he was a member of the Cottage Hospital board of directors and Woodhull Land Development Association board of directors. Dr. Rehn's wife, Jean; a daughter; and a son survive him. Memorials may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, 380 W. 3rd Ave., Woodhull, IL 61490; University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Advancement Office, 3505 Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61802; or Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, 925 Busse Road, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007.
Bruce D. Rosenquist
Dr. Rosenquist (ISU '58), 77, Isabella, Mo., died Oct. 29, 2011. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, he was professor emeritus of veterinary medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine since 1992. During his teaching years at MU, his primary research and numerous publications focused on interferon. He also played a vital role in assisting and mentoring five graduate students in their acquisition of a doctorate.
Following graduation, Dr. Rosenquist served as an epidemic intelligence officer with the United States Public Health Service in Atlanta and Haddonfield, N.J. He then owned Dempster Animal Clinic, a small animal practice in Skokie, Ill. After subsequently earning a doctorate in veterinary microbiology from UMC, Dr. Rosenquist joined the university's veterinary faculty and in 1973 was appointed a professor. He is survived by his wife, Annette; a son; and a daughter. Memorials may be made to College of the Ozarks, P.O. Box 17, Point Lookout, MO 65726.
Dorsey A. Sanders
Dr. Sanders (GA '54), 81, Hawthorne, Fla., died Aug. 9, 2011.
Ernest L. Stair Jr.
Dr. Stair (OKL '60), 80, Stillwater, Okla., died Aug. 15, 2011. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, he was assistant director and chief pathologist of the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Oklahoma State University from 1975 until retirement in 1997.
Following graduation, Dr. Stair served as an instructor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and conducted viral infection research on pregnant swine. After earning a doctorate in veterinary pathology from Texas A&M University in 1968, he served as an associate professor at UNL, also chairing the selection committee for preveterinary students and serving on the planning committee for the new veterinary science building. During that time, Dr. Stair received a Good Stick Award from his students. His wife, Eileen, and three sons survive him. Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 411 W. Mathews Ave., Stillwater, OK 74075; Judith Karman Hospice, 915 S. Main St., Stillwater, OK 74074; or American Parkinson Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305.
Loren J. Swanson
Dr. Swanson (COL '41), 93, Bonduel, Wis., died Aug. 25, 2011. He founded Village Veterinary Clinic in Bonduel, where he practiced for 37 years until retirement. Dr. Swanson was a member of the Wisconsin VMA and served on the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board for eight years. Active in civic life, he was a past president of the Bonduel School Board, Bonduel Rotary Club, and Shawano County Library Board. Dr. Swanson is survived by his wife, Margaret; two daughters; and a son.
Carl W. Tague
Dr. Tague (KSU '47), 96, Calimesa, Calif., died Oct. 15, 2011. Prior to retirement in 1989, he practiced in Artesia, Calif., starting with large animal medicine and later focusing on small animals. Dr. Tague was a life member of the California VMA. His two daughters survive him.
Herbert C. Topp
Dr. Topp (OSU '64), 72, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, died Oct. 27, 2011. A mixed animal practitioner, he owned Mechanicsburg Veterinary Hospital for more than 47 years. Dr. Topp also served as the Champaign County Fair veterinarian. He was a member of the Ohio VMA. Active in civic life, Dr. Topp was a past president of the Champaign County Township Association, served on the Mechanicsburg Board of Education for 16 years, was a member of the Mechanicsburg Lions Club, and was active with the Champaign County Agriculture Society and the Farm Bureau of Champaign County. He is survived by his wife, Helen; a son; and a daughter. Memorials may be made to the Mechanicsburg United Methodist Church, 42 N. Main St., Mechanicsburg, OH 43044.
Richard L. Warren
Dr. Warren (KSU '51), 88, Winfield, Kan., died Nov. 25, 2011. He co-owned Winfield Veterinary Hospital, practicing mixed animal medicine for 60 years. Dr. Warren was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He received two Bronze Stars and a European-African-Middle East Ribbon for his service. Dr. Warren's two daughters and son survive him. His son, Dr. Richard Kip Warren (KSU '76), practices mixed animal medicine at Winfield Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Warren's nephew, Dr. Stephen Warren (KSU '71), works for the Department of Agriculture in Dodge City, Kan.
William W. Wempe
Dr. Wempe (KSU '42), 94, Lawrence, Kan., died Sept. 15, 2011. Prior to retirement, he owned Wempe Small Animal Hospital in Lawrence. Dr. Wempe also owned Wauk-A-Way Farm, where he raised Holstein cattle and Shetland ponies. As one of nine members of his family to graduate from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, he helped establish the Wempe/Luckroth Family Scholarship in Veterinary Medicine at the college. In 2009, the college's Veterinary Medical Alumni Association honored the family with the Alumni Recognition Award. Active in civic life, Dr. Wempe received the Douglas County Friend of 4-H Award from the Douglas County Extension in 2009. His daughter and three sons survive him. One of his sons, Dr. Michael W. Wempe (MO '72), is a practitioner in Odessa, Texas. Memorials toward the Lawrence Humane Society or Douglas County 4-H Foundation may be made c/o Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, KS 66044.
Robert M. Zwiesler
Dr. Zwiesler (KSU '94), 43, Wichita, Kan., died June 3, 2011. He was an associate broker with Re/Max-Premier in Wichita. Dr. Zwiesler is survived by his wife, Sue; two daughters; and a son. Memorials may be made to Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, 8101 W. Central Ave., Wichita, KS 67212; or ALS Association, Keith Worthington Chapter, 3450 N. Rock Road, Building 200, Suite 211, Wichita, KS 67226.
Obituary notifications
For an obituary to be published, JAVMA must be notified within six months of the veterinarian's date of death via a toll-free phone call at (800) 248-2862, Ext. 6754; newsavma [dot] org (email); or fax at (847) 925-9329.