Obituaries

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

William C. Davis

Dr. Davis (GA ’61), 76, Brandenburg, Ky., died June 9, 2013. A mixed animal practitioner, he was the founder of Dixie Animal Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Dr. Davis is survived by his wife, Bernice; a son and a daughter; two stepchildren; four grandchildren; and a step-grandchild. His daughter-in-law, Dr. Laura A. Luigart (AUB ’94), practices at Dixie Animal Hospital. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Eldon E. Engel

Dr. Engel (WSU ’50), 89, Sun Lakes, Ariz., died March 26, 2013. Prior to retirement in 1983, he owned Burien Veterinary Hospital in Burien, Wash., practicing mixed animal medicine in the beginning and later switching to small animal practice. Dr. Engel was an Army veteran of World War II and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. His wife, Beverly; two sons and a daughter; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild survive him.

John P. Flolo

Dr. Flolo (KSU ’61), 83, Gilroy, Calif., died July 21, 2013. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter, and a grandson.

Lionel G. Garcia

Dr. Garcia (TEX ’65), 77, Seabrook, Texas, died July 8, 2013. A small animal veterinarian, he practiced at Clear Lake Forest Animal Clinic in Seabrook for 35 years. Dr. Garcia was also a poet and novelist whose works are archived at the Texas A&M University Cushing Memorial Library. He was a member of PEN America, Writers Guild of America, Authors Guild of America, and Texas Institute of Letters. Dr. Garcia received a PEN Southwest Book Award and Texas Institute of Letters honors for his novels, “A Shroud in the Family” and “To a Widow with Children.” His novel “Leaving Home” won the PEN Southwest Discovery Prize, and he received both a Texas Institute of Letters Jesse Jones Novel of the Year Award and Dallas Times Herald Novel of the Year Award for his novel “Hardscrub.” Dr. Garcia also won the Texas Review Poetry Prize for “Brush County.”

He was a veteran of the Army, attaining the rank of captain. Dr. Garcia’s wife, Naida; two sons and a daughter; and four grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Texas A&M University Libraries, Attn: Adelle Hedleston, Sterling Evans Library, 5000 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843.

Philip C. Garrett II

Dr. Garrett (UP ’51), 85, Mount Washington, Mass., died June 6, 2013. Prior to retirement, he owned a large animal practice in Ringoes, N.J., focusing on herd health and reproductive medicine in dairy cattle. Dr. Garrett also bred Holstein, Brown Swiss, and Angus cattle. He began his career practicing in Hopewell, N.J. Dr. Garrett then joined the Army Veterinary Corps, serving as a first lieutenant during the Korean War. He established his practice in Ringoes in 1972.

Dr. Garrett was a past president of the Central New Jersey VMA and a member of the New Jersey Holstein Association. Active in civic life, he was a past president of the East Amwell Board of Education, a past chairman of the East Amwell Board of Adjustment, and a member of the East Amwell Board of Health. He also served as a past chairman of the Mount Washington Conservation Commission and was a member of the Mount Washington Board of Health and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Dr. Garrett is survived by his companion, Judith A. Whitbeck; two sons and two daughters; and nine grandchildren. Memorials toward the Church of Christ in Mount Washington may be sent c/o James Crowell, Treasurer, 301 W. 108th St., #10C, New York, NY 10025.

Earl W. Grogan

Dr. Grogan (TEX ’46), 87, San Antonio, died Aug. 11, 2013. Following graduation, he practiced in Fort Worth, Texas, for a short time before joining the Army Veterinary Corps as a first lieutenant. During his military career, Dr. Grogan earned his master’s in public health at Johns Hopkins University (1951), worked in several Army medical laboratories, served as assistant to the commanding officer at the Army Medical Unit in Fort Detrick, Md., and directed the veterinary unit at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. He retired as a colonel in 1975. Dr. Grogan went on to serve as executive secretary of the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources of the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council’s for 12 years.

A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, he was a past president of the District of Columbia VMA and served on the board of directors of the Army Medical Department Museum. Dr. Grogan was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and received the Legion of Merit for his military service. In 1983, the ACVPM honored him with its Helwig-Jennings Award. Dr. Grogan’s wife, Alice; two sons; and five grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Army Medical Department Museum, P.O. Box 8294, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78208.

James G. Grove

Dr. Grove (OSU ’62), 78, Palm Harbor, Fla., died July 14, 2013. Prior to retirement in 1992, he owned Court Veterinary Clinic, a small animal practice in Clearwater, Fla. Earlier in his career, Dr. Grove was in mixed animal practice at Blanchard Veterinary Clinic in Findlay, Ohio, for 16 years. He was a member of the Findlay and Clearwater Rotary clubs. Dr. Grove’s wife, Virginia; four daughters and a son; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, 14010 Roosevelt Blvd., Suite 709, Clearwater, FL 33762.

J.H. Hennegan

Dr. Hennegan (OSU ’61), 82, Indianapolis, died July 23, 2013. He founded Briarwood Animal Clinic in Indianapolis, where he practiced small animal medicine until retirement in 2001. During his career, Dr. Hennegan also served as a liaison to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Admissions Committee and was an adviser to the Humane Society of Indianapolis. A charter member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, he was a past member of the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and AVMA Legislative Advisory Committee, a past chair of what used to be called the Nine States Veterinary Conference, and a past president of the Indiana and Central Indiana VMAs. Dr. Hennegan served as Indiana’s alternate delegate and delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates from 1985-1996.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; two daughters; and a granddaughter. One daughter, Dr. Kathleen A. Hennegan (PUR ’88), is a retired small animal practitioner in Indianapolis. Dr. Hennegan’s nephew, Dr. Stephen E. Newton (PUR ’85), is a small animal practitioner in Hope, Ind. Memorials may be made to the Morris Animal Foundation, 10200 E. Girard Ave., Suite B430, Denver, CO 80231.

James C. Kile Jr.

Dr. Kile (OSU ’44), 91, Clinton, Tenn., died July 22, 2013. Vice president of the AVMA from 1967-1969, he owned Cumberland View Farms in Clinton, where he raised inbred strains of mice for laboratory use and Polled Hereford cattle prior to retirement in 1990. Dr. Kile began his career practicing primarily small animal medicine in Oak Ridge, Tenn. In 1946, he joined the biology division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a research scientist. Dr. Kile’s research focused on radiation genetics and recovery and new techniques in the breeding and husbandry of mice. He also served as a consultant during the organization of the University of Tennessee–Atomic Energy Commission Agricultural Research Laboratory. Dr. Kile later returned to private practice, establishing Cumberland View Farms in the early 1950s.

A diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, he was a past president of the Tennessee VMA, Tennessee Polled Hereford Association, and the former Laboratory Animal Breeders Association. In 1968, Dr. Kile was named Tennessee Veterinarian of the Year, and, in 1970, he received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Kile was named to the American Polled Hereford Association’s Hall of Fame in 1983 and received the TVMA Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.

Active in civic life, he was a past vice president of the Anderson County Fair Association and held several offices with the Oak Ridge Rotary Club. Dr. Kile’s wife, Grace; four daughters and three sons; 12 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren survive him. One son, Dr. James C. Kile (TEN ’82), is a public health veterinarian with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children-Lexington, 1900 Richmond Road, Lexington, KY 40502.

Gail G. Kroenke

Dr. Kroenke (MO ’57), 81, Harrisonville, Mo., died July 25, 2013. A mixed animal veterinarian, he practiced in Harrisonville for 53 years. Dr. Kroenke also bred and showed Quarter Horses and American Paint Horses. His wife, Cricket; a daughter and two sons; and four grandchildren survive him.

William W. Lockridge

Dr. Lockridge (TEX ’53), 81, Lexington, Ky., died June 8, 2013. He was the co-founder of Ashford Stud, a Thoroughbred breeding operation in Versailles, Ky. Early in his career, Dr. Lockridge worked in the Southwest region of the country for 12 years.

Dr. Lockridge is survived by his wife, Georgia; a daughter and two sons; and nine grandchildren. Memorials may be made to The Race for Education, 1818 Versailles Road, Lexington, KY 40504; or Life in Abundance, 1605 E. Elizabeth St., Suite 1069, Pasadena, CA 91104.

John A. Matochik Jr.

Dr. Matochik (COR ’54), 85, Fort Edward, N.Y., died July 13, 2013. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Fort Edward for more than 40 years. Dr. Matochik was a past president of the Capital District VMS and a member of the New York State VMS. In 1990, he received the NYSVMS Silver Medallion for outstanding service. Dr. Matochik was also the recipient of the society’s Veterinarian of the Year Award in 2003 and Life Service Award in 2008.

He was active with the Washington County Humane Society, Fort Edward Lions Club and Historical Society, and Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Matochik served as a trustee of the Fort Hudson Nursing Home Board and was a member of the Glens Falls Hospital board of governors and Glens Falls Hospital Foundation. He received the BSA Silver Beaver Award in 1969 and was named Trustee of the Year by the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging in 2010. Dr. Matochik was also the first recipient of the Adirondack Chamber of Commerce J. Walter Juckett Award for community service.

He served in the Army during World War II and was a member of the American Legion. Dr. Matochik is survived by his wife, Maggie; two sons; a stepdaughter and three stepsons; and three grandsons and two granddaughters. Memorials in his name may be made to Fort Hudson Foundation, 319 Broadway, Fort Edward, NY 12828; Glens Falls Hospital Foundation, 100 Park St., Glens Falls, NY 12801; or Twin Rivers Council, BSA 253 Washington Ave. Ext., Albany, NY 12205.

E. Edgar Ruebush

Dr. Ruebush (COR ’43), 92, Washington, D.C., died June 20, 2013. Primarily a small animal practitioner, he owned and directed Ambassador Animal Hospital in Silver Spring, Md., from 1943 until retirement in 1987. During his career, Dr. Ruebush helped take care of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt’s and Lyndon B. Johnson’s dogs and assisted with the surgery on a white tiger at the National Zoo.

A past president of the American Animal Hospital Association and District of Columbia VMA, Dr. Ruebush was also a member of the Maryland VMA. He helped establish and served as president of the District of Columbia Academy of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Ruebush was Maryland’s alternate delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates from 1971-1983 and was delegate from 1983-1990.

He served in the Army Veterinary Corps during World War II, attaining the rank of captain. Dr. Ruebush’s three daughters; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren survive him. His late father, Dr. E. Edgar Ruebush Sr., was the founder of Ambassador Animal Hospital.

Everett C. Short Jr.

Dr. Short (COL ’62), 81, Perkins, Okla., died July 15, 2013. He began his career teaching at the University of Minnesota. In 1979, Dr. Short joined Oklahoma State University as head of the Physiological Science Department. In 1987, he moved to Perkins, where he and his wife, Dr. Susanne B. Short (OKL ’86), established Alpha Angus Farm, raising Angus cattle. Dr. Short retired from Oklahoma State a few years later. He was a member of the American Angus Association and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.

Dr. Short served in the Air Force from 1952-1955. He is survived by his wife, four sons, and four grandchildren. Memorials in his name toward the University of Montana Osprey Program and Cornell Lab of Ornithology may be made to Palmer Marler Funeral Home, 5106 N. Washington, Stillwater, OK 74075.

Thomas L. Wolfle

Dr. Wolfle (TEX ’61), 77, Cambridge, Md., died June 28, 2013. A diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Medicine and a co-founder of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, he was director of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council from 1988 until retirement in 2000.

Dr. Wolfle was known for his expertise in comparative animal behavior and laboratory animal science and welfare. He began his career in the Air Force, working on collaborative animal behavior projects between the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. During that time, Dr. Wolfle conducted primate research involving health and behavior issues during spaceflights and earned his doctorate in comparative animal behavior from the University of California-Los Angeles in 1970.

In 1976, he joined the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and was stationed at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. Dr. Wolfle developed programs to decrease stress in animals used for research and, eventually, served as the first executive director of the federal government’s Interagency Research Animal Committee. During his directorship, this committee developed the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training. Dr. Wolfle retired as a captain from the PHS when he assumed directorship of ILAR.

Active in civic life, he served on the board of directors of the Dorchester Center for the Arts, was a flotilla commander for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and volunteered with the National Blackwater Wildlife Preserve. His wife, Jackie; five sons; and 11 grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High St., Cambridge, MD 21613.

Obituary notifications

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

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