Obituaries

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Albert E. Blum

Dr. Blum (Missouri ’54), 91, Katy, Texas, died March 2, 2015. Following graduation, he established Blum Animal Hospital in Festus, Missouri, where he practiced small animal medicine until retirement. Dr. Blum was a past president of the Missouri and Southeast Missouri VMAs and a member of the Greater St. Louis VMA. He was also a past president of the Jefferson County Health Department and Jefferson College boards of directors and a member of the St. Louis Airport Authority Board, Festus Crystal City Rotary Club, and Masonic Lodge.

Dr. Blum’s wife, Peggy Jo; a son and a stepson; two grandchildren and four stepgrandchildren; and three great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center, Donations and Memorials, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210.

James N. Brogger

Dr. Brogger (Washington State ’54), 85, Missoula, Montana, died June 12, 2015. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Missoula and Augusta, Montana. Dr. Brogger was a past president of the Montana VMA and co-founded the Back Country Horsemen of Missoula. He served as a captain in the Air Force.

Dr. Brogger is survived by his wife, Shirley; a son and a daughter; and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Community Hospital’s Hilda’s Room, 2827 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804; Montana Wilderness Association, 118 W. Broadway, Suite 1, Missoula, MT 59802, or Back Country Horsemen of Montana, P.O. Box 4864, Butte, MT 59701.

Garth Corrie

Dr. Corrie (Michigan State ’43), 94, Big Rapids, Michigan, died Aug. 3, 2015. From 1957 until retirement in 1981, he worked in animal disease eradication with the Department of Agriculture in Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and California. Earlier in his career, Dr. Corrie practiced mixed animal medicine in Big Rapids and Stanwood, Michigan, and served as a major in the Army Veterinary Corps during the Korean War. He was a member of the Michigan VMA, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, and American Legion. Dr. Corrie is survived by two sons and several stepchildren, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic School, 927 Marion Ave., Big Rapids, MI 49307, or Animal Rescue Coalition of Mecosta County, 18400 220th Ave., Big Rapids, MI 49307.

Eugene G. Dillmann

Dr. Dillmann (Cornell ’43), 96, Midlothian, Virginia, died Sept. 13, 2015. He practiced equine medicine in New York, first at Hamilton and, later, on Long Island, prior to retirement. Dr. Dillmann also served as supervisor of veterinarians at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, New York, for the New York State Harness Racing Commission and United States Trotting Association. His two daughters, nine grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren survive him.

Donald W. Fitzgerald

Dr. Fitzgerald (Kansas State ’58), 85, Highland Village, Texas, died June 28, 2015. He practiced small animal medicine in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for 35 years. Dr. Fitzgerald was a past president of the Albuquerque Veterinary Association and a member of the American Animal Hospital Association. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Dr. Fitzgerald is survived by a son and seven grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305, or Home At Last Animal Sanctuary, P.O. Box 271, Highland Park, IL 60035.

Joseph R. Geraci

Dr. Geraci (Pennsylvania ’63), 77, Leesburg, Virginia, died Sept. 10, 2015. He was a professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Prior to that, Dr. Geraci served as deputy executive director of the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Early in his career, he was a professor at the University of Guelph Ontario Veterinary College and director of its marine mammal program, and served as a clinical professor at Tufts University. Known for his expertise in marine mammal medicine and aquatic wildlife conservation, Dr. Geraci served as an adviser to the International Whaling Commission and led research teams worldwide to study the health of marine mammals and their environment. He was a past curator of the New York and Montreal aquariums and served as president of the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, from 2005-2006.

Dr. Geraci was appointed to a National Academy of Sciences committee to study the effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico on marine mammals. He was the founding editor of the journal Marine Mammal Science. Dr. Geraci is survived by his wife, Laurie; a son and two daughters; and six grandchildren.

Elvin J. Hopkins

Dr. Hopkins (Iowa State ’44), 92, Early, Iowa, died June 4, 2015. Following graduation, he served in the Army for a year. Dr. Hopkins then practiced large animal medicine in Early and the surrounding areas for almost 50 years. Known for his expertise in equine medicine, Dr. Hopkins raised and showed horses. He was a life member of the Iowa VMA and a member of the Lions Club and American Legion. Dr. Hopkins’ four daughters and a son, 13 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren survive him.

Donald H. Hunziger

Dr. Hunziger (Missouri ’71), 73, Humboldt, Kansas, died June 29, 2015. He practiced primarily small animal medicine in Oregon, Missouri, prior to retirement in 2015. Dr. Hunziger served in the Army from 1964-1966. His wife, Annamarie; two sons; and two grandchildren and four step-grandchildren survive him. Memorials toward the Frank and Iris Sweaney Education Fund may be made c/o Chamberlain Funeral Home, 100 W. George St., Oregon, MO 64473.

Wendell K. Loomis

Dr. Loomis (Cornell ’52), 91, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, died June 9, 2015. He practiced large animal medicine in upstate New York and Maryland prior to retirement. Dr. Loomis also taught at Cornell University for several years. He was a veteran of the Air Force. Dr. Loomis’ wife, Gwendolyn; six children; 17 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Hannah’s Helpers, c/o Beverly Wilburn, 27 Maple St., Freeport, FL 32439.

Arthur E. Maude

Dr. Maude (Guelph ’52), 86, West Covina, California, died Sept. 1, 2015. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Rosemead Animal Hospital in Rosemead, California, from 1992 until retirement in 1998. Following graduation, Dr. Maude worked in San Gabriel, California, and practiced at Norwalk Animal Hospital in Norwalk, California. He joined Rosemead Animal Hospital as an associate in 1956 and became a partner in 1968. Dr. Maude was the founding director and corporate secretary of the Emergency Pet Clinic of San Gabriel Valley Inc. He also served as director and president of Veterinary Investments Inc. for more than 30 years. Dr. Maude was a first lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Corps during the Korean War. His wife, Doris; five daughters; 16 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren survive him.

Valori D. Morris

Dr. Morris (Texas A&M ’02), 51, St. Louis, died July 13, 2015. She practiced small animal medicine in several states, including Texas, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada. Memorials may be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, Campaign for the CURE, 5526 W. 13400 S., #510, Salt Lake City, UT 84096.

George C. Poppensiek

Dr. Poppensiek (Pennsylvania ’42), 97, Ithaca, New York, died Sept. 8, 2015. He was dean emeritus and James Law Professor of Comparative Medicine emeritus at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine since 1988. Dr. Poppensiek began his career as an assistant professor of veterinary science at the University of Maryland, where he also cared for the university’s herds and flocks. He subsequently joined Lederle Laboratories in New York as department head responsible for veterinary virus vaccine production. Dr. Poppensiek was appointed director of the diagnostic laboratory at Cornell’s veterinary college in 1949. He later transferred to Cornell’s Baker Institute as a research associate.

In 1955, Dr. Poppensiek began working as a supervisory veterinarian for diagnostic investigations at the Department of Agriculture’s Plum Island Animal Disease Center, later serving as supervisory veterinarian for immunological investigations. He was appointed dean of Cornell’s veterinary college and professor of microbiology in 1959, serving in that capacity for 15 years. As dean, he led development of the Veterinary Research Tower, and, during his tenure, the college saw a doubling of faculty and an increase in research activity. Dr. Poppensiek was named James Law Professor of Comparative Medicine in 1974. That year, he was also named research professor at the State University of New York College of Medicine in Syracuse; he held both positions until his retirement in 1988.

At various times during his career, Dr. Poppensiek served as an adviser to the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, and USDA. He served two terms on the AVMA Council on Research and was a past president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. He led the U.S. delegation on a joint U.S.-Argentine Commission on Foot-and-Mouth Disease from 1962-1967. Dr. Poppensiek served on the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners from 1976-1979 and was an external examiner in microbiology and pathology at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, also chairing the college’s External Research Advisory Council. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists and an honorary diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Dr. Poppensiek was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and American Society for Microbiology and a charter member of the American Society for Virology. He served on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Veterinary Research, Journal of Infection, and The Cornell Veterinarian. Dr. Poppensiek also served as an editorial consultant on veterinary medical terminology for the W.B. Saunders Publishing Company.

His honors included being named New York State Veterinarian of the Year in 1974 and receiving the XIIth International Veterinary Congress Prize in 1977. In 1978, Dr. Poppensiek was inducted into the Polish Society of Veterinary Sciences, and, in 1981, into the National Academy of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine of the Republic of Argentina. In 1984, he received a University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Centennial Medal for his contributions to virology and diagnostic laboratory medicine. On Dr. Poppensiek’s retirement, the annual Poppensiek Lectureship in Global Veterinary Medicine was established, enabling international scholars to share their experiences with Cornell students and faculty members.

Dr. Poppensiek is survived by his daughter and five grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the George C. Poppensiek Visiting Professor of Global Health Lecture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Box 39, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; Hospicare & Palliative Care Services, 172 E. King Road, Ithaca, NY 14850; or First Congregational Church, 309 Highland Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.

Nicole C. Putney

Dr. Putney (Washington State ’11), 32, Davison, Michigan, died May 29, 2015. Following graduation and after completing an internship in shelter medicine at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, she worked as a shelter veterinarian in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Putney subsequently moved to Colorado, practicing at a shelter in Colorado Springs. Shortly before her death, she was hired by the Royal Veterinary College in London to establish and oversee a shelter medicine program.

Dr. Putney volunteered with the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association-Rural Area Veterinary Services program, volunteered her services on Native American reservations, and traveled to Costa Rica on a veterinary mission. In 2010, while a fourth-year veterinary student, she received the HSVMA Veterinary Student Advocacy Award for her efforts to advance more humane teaching methods. Those efforts included her working with faculty to implement alternatives to the use of colony dogs and terminal procedures related to them; helping to create an alternative to anesthetizing and euthanizing colony dogs as part of the anesthesiology curriculum; and acting as a student advocate for the HSVMA, establishing the HSVMA student chapter at WSU, and participating in HSVMA Field Services missions.

Dr. Putney is survived by her husband, Simon Mueller. Memorials may be made to The Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20037, or Dumb Friends League, 4556 Castleton Court, Castle Rock, CO 80109.

Arnold C. Slater

Dr. Slater (Washington State ’51), 88, Olympia, Washington, died Aug. 9, 2015. He was the co-founder of Deschutes Animal Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Olympia. A past president of the Washington State and South Puget Sound VMAs and a past chair of the WSVMA Legislative Committee, Dr. Slater served on the Washington state meat inspection advisory board and was a member of the advisory board for the animal technology program at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. He was also a member of the Washington Horse Breeders Association and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. In 1978, Dr. Slater received an appreciation award from the Washington State Association of Veterinary Technicians for his support and efforts on their behalf. He was named Washington State Veterinarian of the Year in 1982, and, in 1986, the WSVMA established the Dr. Arnold C. Slater Legislator-of-the-Year Award. Dr. Slater was also a past recipient of the Washington State University Distinguished Alumnus and Alumni Achievement awards, SPSVMA Distinguished Service Award, and American Animal Hospital Association Award for Outstanding Service to the Veterinary Profession. He was a member of the Olympia Area Chamber of Commerce and Tumwater Rotary Club. Dr. Slater served in the Army from 1946-1947.

He is survived by a daughter and two sons, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Memorials toward the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine Heritage Scholarship Fund may be made to the WSU Foundation, c/o Lynne Haley, P.O. Box 647010, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, or Alzheimer’s Association Washington State, North Tower, 100 W. Harrison St. N200, Seattle, WA 98119.

Quenten D. Sundberg

Dr. Sundberg (Iowa State ’55), 83, Linn Grove, Iowa, died March 31, 2015. He practiced and farmed in the Linn Grove area. Dr. Sundberg was a member of the Iowa VMA. He served as a first lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Corps. Dr. Sundberg is survived by his wife, Joyce; two daughters; and eight grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 105 E. High St., Linn Grove, IA 51033.

Robert W. Woolsey

Dr. Woolsey (Minnesota ’61), 81, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, died Sept. 6, 2015. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Airport Cities Animal Hospital in Inglewood, California, from 1964 until retirement in 2000. Earlier, Dr. Woolsey worked for the Department of Agriculture. He is survived by two sons and two daughters, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.