Obituaries

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Ervin J. Baas

Dr. Baas (Minnesota '60), 86, Richmond, Virginia, died April 25, 2018. He began his career practicing mixed animal medicine in Marshall, Minnesota, and working for the city's meat inspection program. After obtaining a doctorate in comparative pathology and laboratory animal medicine from the University of California-Davis in 1971, Dr. Baas joined the National Institutes of Health staff in Bethesda, Maryland, as an animal disease investigator. During his 30-year career with the NIH, he served as chief of the canine unit in the veterinary branch, was clinical veterinarian for the primate and farm animal units, and served as veterinarian for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

A diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Dr. Baas worked with other veterinarians to achieve accreditation status with what is now the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care for the entire NIH campus. While at the NIH, he practiced part time at several small animal hospitals in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Bethesda, eventually establishing his own part-time practice in Urbana, Maryland.

Following his retirement from the NIH, Dr. Baas worked for the Medical College of Virginia and consulted for the University of Richmond and Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He was a member of the District of Columbia VMA, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, and American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners.

Dr. Baas served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He is survived by a daughter, son, two grandchildren, and his sister and brother. Memorials may be made to the Lupus Foundation Of Virginia Inc., 2720 Enterprise Parkway No 104, Richmond, VA 23228.

Franklin A. Coy

Dr. Coy (Ohio State '54), 95, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, died April 23, 2018. He practiced small animal medicine in Ohio for 50 years, initially in Cleveland, and, later, in Moreland Hills.

Dr. Coy was a veteran of the Navy. His three sons, two grandchildren, and a sister survive him.

William J. Davis

Dr. Davis (Michigan State '59), 88, Vancouver, Washington, died May 7, 2018. He practiced small animal and holistic medicine in North Olmstead, Ohio, initially at Great Northern Veterinary Clinic, and, later, at Barton-Lorain Animal Hospital. Dr. Davis also co-founded West Side Animal Emergency Clinic in Cleveland, which eventually expanded to a second location on the east side of the city. He retired in 2004.

Dr. Davis is survived by his wife, Maryellen; three daughters and a son; six grandchildren; and a brother. Memorials may be made to the Cleveland Metroparks Trails Fund, 4101 Fulton Parkway, Cleveland, OH 44144.

David M. Elston Sr.

Dr. Elston (Texas A&M '52), 93, Lafayette, Louisiana, died May 7, 2018. He began his career practicing primarily large animal medicine in Eunice, Louisiana. In 1960, Dr. Elston established a practice in Lafayette, where he worked for 50 years until retirement. From 1943-46, he served in the Army during World War II.

Dr. Elston is survived by two sons, a daughter, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. His son-in-law and grandson, Drs. James R. Carson III (Texas A&M '78) and James R. Carson IV (Louisiana State '12), are small animal veterinarians in Lafayette.

Amos P. Hollister

Dr. Hollister (Pennsylvania '53), 92, Montrose, Pennsylvania, died March 12, 2018. He owned a large animal practice in Montrose, focusing primarily on dairy medicine, prior to retirement in the late 1980s. Dr. Hollister was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a veteran of the Air Force. His son, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Susquehanna County Library, 458 High School Road, Montrose, PA 18801.

Charles G. Liddle

Dr. Liddle (Michigan State '60), 82, Raleigh, North Carolina, died April 19, 2018. Following graduation, he practiced small animal medicine in the Detroit area. Dr. Liddle subsequently joined the Army, serving in Vietnam, and later worked for the United States Public Health Service in North Carolina prior to retirement. During that time, he earned a master's in radiation biology from the University of Rochester.

Dr. Liddle's wife, Beverly; two sons; and two grandchildren survive him.

Edward C. Melby Jr.

Dr. Melby (Cornell '54), 88, Charlotte, Vermont, died April 22, 2018. From 1974-84, he served as the sixth dean of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. During that time, the veterinary college experienced considerable growth in facilities and programs, saw an increase in the number of employees, and saw a rise in its budget and competitive grants and contracts awarded. Dr. Melby oversaw the expansion of the state diagnostic laboratory to offer enhanced services, including an equine drug testing and research program. He also presided over the establishment of the first contagious equine metritis quarantine facility in the state.

Under Dr. Melby's deanship, the Baker Institute for Animal Health experienced substantial re-organization and growth, and the Department of Avian Diseases changed its name and scope to include aquatic animal medicine and built a poultry facility to increase research on poultry diseases. Departments of preventive medicine and pharmacology were formed, and a single Department of Clinical Sciences with subsections by clinical specialty was formed.

Following his years at Cornell, Dr. Melby served as vice president of research and development and vice president of science and technology at SmithKline Beecham Animal Health in West Chester, Pennsylvania, until retirement. Prior to joining Cornell, he practiced mixed animal medicine in Middlebury, Vermont, and later served as a professor and directed the Division of Comparative Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

A diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Dr. Melby was a past president of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, National Association for Biomedical Research, and Baltimore City Zoological Society. He was a past chair of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Resources, served on the board of directors of Charles River Laboratories, and was a member of the Vermont VMA and New York State VMS.

Dr. Melby co-edited the three-volume Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science. He received the NYSVMS Award of Merit in 1981, the Charles River Prize in 1982, and a University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Centennial Medal in 1984.

Active in his community, Dr. Melby served on the Charlotte Planning Commission. He was a veteran of the Marine Corps.

Dr. Melby is survived by his wife, Jean; three sons and a daughter; 10 grandchildren; and two sisters. His son-in-law, Dr. Edward J. Robb (Cornell '81), is a veterinarian in Parkville, Missouri.

Benjamin Weiner

Dr. Weiner (Alfort '51), 97, Claymont, Delaware, died May 4, 2018. A 1951 graduate of the National Veterinary School of Alfort in France, he founded Claymont Animal Hospital in Claymont, Delaware, where he practiced small animal medicine for more than 50 years prior to retirement in 2010. Earlier, Dr. Weiner worked for the Department of Agriculture in Boston. Dr. Weiner was an Army veteran of World War II, serving in the Canine Corps.

His son, daughter, and seven grandchildren survive him. Dr. Weiner's son and grandson, Drs. Robert Weiner (Pennsylvania '80) and Eric Weiner (Virginia-Maryland '15), are small animal veterinarians in New City, New York, and East Orlando, Florida, respectively. Memorials may be made to Rockland County Kosher Food Pantry, c/o New City Jewish Center, 47 Old Schoolhouse Road, New City, NY 10956, or Joe Raso Hospice Residence, 11 Stokum Lane, New City, NY 10956.

John A. Wilson

Dr. Wilson (Michigan State '43), 97, Burlington, Wisconsin, died April 27, 2018. Following graduation, he established a practice in Burlington. Dr. Wilson continued to practice in the area until retirement. He was a past member of the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board and a past president of the Rock Valley VMA.

Dr. Wilson was active with the Burlington Rotary Club. His two daughters, six grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren survive him.

For an obituary to be published, JAVMA must be notified within six months of the date of death via a toll-free phone call to 800-248-2862, ext. 6754; email to newsavma [dot] org (news[at]avma[dot]org); or fax to 847-925-9329.