Obituaries

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

James H. Bailey

Dr. Bailey (Colorado State ’57), 82, Great Falls, Montana, died Feb. 20, 2016. He co-founded Associated Veterinary Services in Great Falls in the early 1980s. Following graduation, Dr. Bailey ranched and practiced large animal medicine in northern Wyoming and southeastern Montana; owned a mixed animal practice in Pampa, Texas; and consulted on equine and bovine reproduction. In 1975, he returned to Montana, practicing at Great Falls Veterinary Services until 1980.

Dr. Bailey was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Montana VMA. His wife, Sharon; two sons and two daughters; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Great Falls Animal Shelter, 1010 25th Ave. NE, Great Falls, MT 59404.

Fred D. Bisplinghoff Sr.

Dr. Bisplinghoff (Missouri ’51), 91, Fort Meyers, Florida, died Dec. 7, 2015. Following graduation, he owned a large animal practice in Linneus, Missouri, for five years. Dr. Bisplinghoff subsequently moved to Peoria, Illinois, and embarked on a career in the rendering industry. He retired to Florida in the 1980s.

Dr. Bisplinghoff was a past president of the National Renderers Association and received the inaugural NRA Don Franco Distinguished Service Award shortly before his death. He served in the Army from 1943-1946.

Dr. Bisplinghoff is survived by a son and a daughter, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Wayne W. Brown

Dr. Brown (Iowa State ’55), 84, Ames, Iowa, died Feb. 14, 2016. A mixed animal veterinarian, he began his career practicing in Orion, Illinois. In 1959, after serving two years as a base veterinarian with the Air Force in Georgia, Dr. Brown moved to Paw Paw, Illinois, where he established a practice. He went on to found Tri-County Veterinary Service in Earlville, Illinois, in 1970.

Dr. Brown was a past president of the Illinois State VMA and authored “A Hundred Years of Veterinary Medicine in Illinois, 1882-1982.” In 1984, he received the American Association of Swine Practitioners Practitioner of the Year Award, the ISVMA President’s Award, and the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association Service Award. Dr. Brown was the recipient of the Iowa State University Stange Award in 1990 and the ISVMA Service Award in 1994. He was active with the Lions Club and Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Brown is survived by his wife, Doris; two sons and two daughters; and eight grandchildren. His daughter Dr. Gayle B. Brown (Illinois ’86) serves on the veterinary faculty of Iowa State University, and his son Dr. Bruce N. Stewart-Brown (Iowa State ’85) works for Perdue Farms in Salisbury, Maryland. Dr. Brown’s son-in-law Dr. Tyler Holck (Iowa State ’88) owns a swine veterinary consultant company in Gilbert, Iowa, and his daughter-in-law Dr. Barbara Stewart-Brown (Iowa State ’84) is a former small animal veterinarian.

Memorials may be made to Iowa State University Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund, or Collegiate Presbyterian Church University Ministries.

John W. Budding

Dr. Budding (Iowa State ’51), 90, Grinnell, Iowa, died Jan. 9, 2016. In 1964, he moved to Wilton, Iowa, where he practiced until retirement in 1990. Earlier, Dr. Budding worked in Freeport, Illinois, and Ireton, Iowa. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. Dr. Budding is survived by two sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren. Memorials toward a fund in his name may be made c/o Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, 4200 1st Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.

John R. Dutton

Dr. Dutton (Texas A&M ’78), 64, San Angelo, Texas, died Feb. 29, 2016. A mixed animal veterinarian, he owned Arden Road Animal Clinic in San Angelo from 1996 until retirement in 2013. Earlier, Dr. Dutton practiced in Houston for nine years and at North Concho Veterinary Clinic in San Angelo from 1987-1995. Dr. Dutton was active with the local animal control board. His wife, Pam; three daughters and two stepsons; and eight grandchildren survive him.

Theodore S. Fickes

Dr. Fickes (Ohio State ’64), 75, Springfield, Virginia, died Nov. 6, 2015. A small animal veterinarian, he was the founder of Arriba Boxers in Springfield. Dr. Fickes’ Boxer breeding programs produced several American Kennel Club champions. A life member of the American Boxer Club, he served on its board of directors, was a member of its Health Committee, and co-authored the Boxer Standard.

Dr. Fickes is survived by his partner, Virginia Shames. Memorials may be made to the American Boxer Charitable Foundation.

James A. Fischer

Dr. Fischer (Diliman ’85), 61, Montgomery, New York, died Jan. 9, 2016. A small animal veterinarian who graduated from the University of Philippines-Diliman, he founded Montgomery Veterinary Practice and Stone Cottage Veterinary Clinic in Newburgh, New York. Dr. Fischer also founded and served as president of the Orange County Animal Emergency Service in Middletown, New York.

He is survived by his wife, Jenny, and a son and a daughter. Memorials may be made to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, or Humane Society of Walden, P.O. Box 135, Walden, NY 12586.

Robert E. Hall

Dr. Hall (Iowa State ’50), 91, Madison, Wisconsin, died Oct. 25, 2015. After practicing several years in the Midwest, Dr. Hall joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 1961 as a professor of extension veterinary science. He retired from the university in 1980. A member of the Wisconsin VMA, Dr. Hall received a 50-year award from the association in 2001. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn; two sons and a daughter; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Oakwood Village Foundation, 6201 Mineral Point Road, Madison, WI 53705, or Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203.

William C. Lofton

Dr. Lofton (Tuskegee ’64), 78, Omaha, Nebraska, died Oct. 26, 2015. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Miller Park Animal Clinic in Omaha since 1975. Dr. Lofton began his career as a poultry inspector with the Department of Agriculture in Alabama. He subsequently served in the Army as a food inspector in Omaha during the Vietnam War. Dr. Lofton attained the rank of captain. He then worked for a practice in north Omaha for a few years before establishing Miller Park Animal Clinic.

Dr. Lofton was a member of the Nebraska VMA and Nebraska Academy of Veterinary Medicine. He is survived by his wife, JoAnne; two daughters; and five grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Josie Harper Hospice House, 7415 Cedar St., Omaha, NE 68124.

Janet M. MacCallum

Dr. MacCallum (Cornell ’46), 91, New Hartford, New York, died Feb. 19, 2016. She and her late husband, Dr. Alexander D. MacCallum (Cornell ’45), were co-founders of Utica Animal Hospital in New Hartford, where they practiced small animal medicine until retirement in 1994. Dr. MacCallum also volunteered with the Stevens-Swan Humane Society. An avid horsewoman who won an American Horse Show Association national equitation championship medal at the age of 17, she was a founding member and a past regional vice president of the New York State Horse Council. Dr. MacCallum served on the board of directors of the Central New York VMA. She was a founding member of the Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties; served as a tutor through Literacy Volunteers of America, Refugee Center, and the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services; and was active with the Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and YWCA. Her two sons, two daughters, and eight grandchildren survive her.

Memorials may be made to Madison-Oneida BOCES, Attn: Kathleen Rinaldo, P.O. Box 168, Verona, NY 13478; Stevens-Swan Humane Society, 5664 Horatio St., Utica, NY 13502; or Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Robert L. Michel

Dr. Michel (Pennsylvania ’49), 91, Knoxville, Tennessee, died Feb. 18, 2016. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, he was a professor of pathology and head of the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine from 1975 until retirement in 1989. Earlier in his career, Dr. Michel worked a year in Johnstown, Pennsylvania; owned a practice in Troy, Pennsylvania, for 13 years; and served as a professor of pathology at Michigan State University for 10 years.

In 1972, while at MSU, he received what is now known as the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award. Dr. Michel was an Army veteran of World War II. His three daughters, son, and five grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Horse Haven of Tennessee, P.O. Box 22841, Knoxville, TN 37933, or Messiah Lutheran Church, 6900 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919.

Thomas W. Moore

Dr. Moore (Ohio State ’63), 78, Pittsburgh, died Feb. 12, 2016. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Avalon Veterinary Hospital in Pittsburgh from 1967 until retirement in 2014. Early in his career, Dr. Moore served as a veterinarian with the Army post in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He attained the rank of captain. Dr. Moore was a member of the Masonic Lodge. His three daughters, son, and 11 grandchildren survive him.

John W. Morgan

Dr. Morgan (Auburn ’45), 92, Topping, Virginia, died Nov. 16, 2015. In 1958, he established Cary Street Veterinary Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, where he practiced small animal medicine for 50 years prior to retirement. Dr. Morgan also served as veterinarian for the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for more than 40 years. Early in his career, he owned a practice in Williamsburg, Virginia; worked for Levinson Livestock; owned a cattle auction business; and practiced at Ambassador Animal Hospital in Henrico, Virginia.

Dr. Morgan owned and raced Thoroughbreds and trained Labrador Retrievers. He served on the board of directors of the Labrador Retriever Club, founded the James River Retriever Club, and was a past president of the National Amateur Retriever Club. In 1997, Dr. Morgan was elected to the Retriever Field Trial Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his wife, Debarah; three daughters and a son; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. One daughter, Dr. Molly H. Morgan (Auburn ’04), is a small animal veterinarian in Richmond. Memorials may be made to Bird Dog Foundation Inc., Retriever Endowment Fund, 505 W. Highway 57, Grand Junction, TN 38039.

Glenn D. Rinn

Dr. Rinn (Texas A&M ’73), 68, Richmond, Texas, died Dec. 31, 2015. He was a mixed animal practitioner. Dr. Rinn served as a captain in the Army.

Kenneth L. Rundle

Dr. Rundle (Kansas State ’64), 80, Franklin, Nebraska, died Jan. 17, 2016. In 1977, he moved to Franklin, where he established Tailgate Veterinary Clinic, practicing mixed animal medicine until retirement in the late 1990s. Earlier, Dr. Rundle worked in Smith Center, Kansas, for 13 years. He was a veteran of the Navy. Dr. Rundle is survived by his wife, Patricia; three daughters and a son; 10 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Margaret R. Souby

Dr. Souby (Minnesota ’80), 60, Corpus Christi, Texas, died Feb. 23, 2016. She served as a relief veterinarian prior to retirement. Dr. Souby’s husband, Jeremy Smith, survives her. Memorials may be made to the Native Plant Society of Texas, P.O. Box 3017, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

John J. Strickler

Dr. Strickler (Pennsylvania ’51), 89, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, died Jan. 15, 2016. A mixed animal veterinarian, he founded Chambersburg Animal Hospital, retiring in 1984. Dr. Strickler was a past president of the Pennsylvania VMA and a member of the American Animal Hospital Association. He served in the Navy during World War II. Dr. Strickler was a member of the Franklin County Board of Health; volunteered with the Red Cross, Chambersburg Hospital, and Meals on Wheels; and tutored for the Chambersburg School District. His two sons and two daughters, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warriors Foundation, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, or Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, 5051 Letterkenny Road West, Chambersburg, PA 17201.

Ronald W. Symonds

Dr. Symonds (Michigan State ’71), 67, Westminster, Maryland, died Feb. 9, 2016. A small animal veterinarian, he was the founder of Mountainside Veterinary Hospital in Reisterstown, Maryland. Dr. Symonds was a past president of the Maryland VMA. He is survived by his wife, Karen; four sons and a daughter; and three grandchildren and a stepgrandchild.

Thad E. Thorson

Dr. Thorson (Ohio State ’49), 89, Joshua Tree, California, died Jan. 6, 2016. He practiced small animal medicine for more than 40 years in California’s Orange County prior to retirement in 2005. During his career, Dr. Thorson also consulted with the California Alligator Farm in Brea, Lion Country Safari in Irvine, California, and the University of California-Long Beach and California Institute of Technology for their monkey colonies, and treated and rehabilitated animals sent by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was a member of the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, and American Association of Avian Veterinarians. Dr. Thorson was a past president of the Garden Grove Rotary Club.

Dr. Thorson served in the Army infantry during World War II, receiving a Purple Heart, and was a member of the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans. His wife, Merilee; three sons, a stepdaughter, and a stepson; 11 grandchildren and five stepgrandchildren; and four great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to 4 Paws for Veterans.

Dick C. Walther

Dr. Walther (Texas A&M ’55), 86, Houma, Louisiana, died March 25, 2016. He was the founder of Walther Animal Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Houma. Dr. Walther was a past president of the Louisiana VMA, Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine, and Terrebonne Parish and Louisiana Cattlemen’s associations. In 1992, he was named Louisiana Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Walther was a member of the National Cattlemen’s Association, Louisiana Livestock Sanitary Board, and Terrebonne Parish Farm Bureau. He was also a member of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce and served on the board of directors of the Louisiana 4-H Foundation.

Dr. Walther’s wife, Ernestine; four sons; and four grandchildren survive him. One son, Dr. Glenn Walther (Louisiana State ’86), practices at Walther Animal Clinic. Memorials may be made to the Gibson Cemetery Association Fund, 1205 St. Charles St., Houma, LA 70360; or First United Methodist Church, 6109 Highway 311, Houma, LA 70360.

Melissa J. Watership

Dr. Watership (North Carolina State ’02), 46, Bar Harbor, Maine, died Feb. 24, 2016. A small animal practitioner, she was an associate veterinarian at Acadia Veterinary Hospital in Bar Harbor. Early in her career, Dr. Watership served as chief of staff for an emergency veterinary hospital in North Carolina, also serving as the chief veterinarian for a wildlife conservation center.

Her husband, Matthew Cough, and her son and daughter survive her. Memorials may be made to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Hancock County, 141 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton, ME 04605.

Thomas E. Watson

Dr. Watson (Ohio State ’65), 83, Grovetown, Georgia, died Jan. 15, 2016. He was a retired mixed animal practitioner and a veteran of the Navy.

Dr. Watson’s wife, Othelia; three sons and a daughter; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren survive him.

James C. Zgoda

Dr. Zgoda (Cornell ’85), 57, Campbell Hall, New York, died Feb. 10, 2016. He practiced small animal medicine at Otterkill Animal Hospital in Campbell Hall. Dr. Zgoda served on the board of directors of the New York State VMS and was a past treasurer of the Hudson Valley VMS.

Dr. Zgoda is survived by his wife, Sue, and his daughter and son. Memorials may be made to the Veterinary Information Network Foundation, or Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Curtis A. Zillhardt

Dr. Zillhardt (Pennsylvania ’58), 89, Paradise, Pennsylvania, died March 19, 2016. He practiced large animal medicine in Paradise for 40 years. Dr. Zillhardt was a member of the Pennsylvania VMA. He served in the Army during World War II. Dr. Zillhardt’s wife, Phyllis; his son; and his stepgranddaughter survive him. Memorials may be made to St. John’s United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 86, Paradise, PA 17562.