May 01, 2020

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member 

Nonmember

Edsel D. Davis

Dr. Davis (Georgia ’70), 76, Macon, Georgia, died Oct. 29, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he began his career in Georgia’s Miller County. Dr. Davis subsequently moved to Macon, where he established Northside Animal Hospital. He later bought Wesleyan Animal Hospital and went on to combine his two practices as Northside Wesleyan Animal Hospital.

A member of the Georgia VMA, Dr. Davis received its J.T. Mercer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Active in his community, he was a past president of the Colquitt Lions Club and a member of the Exchange Club of Macon and Rotary Club of Macon. Dr. Davis’ wife, Shannon; three children; six grandchildren; and a sister survive him. Memorials may be made to Mulberry United Methodist Church, 719 Mulberry St., Macon, GA 31201, or Christ Church, 582 Walnut St., Macon, GA 31201.

Warner A. Dunn

Dr. Dunn (Texas A&M ’55), 88, Nacogdoches, Texas, died Sept. 10, 2019. Prior to retirement, he was in small animal practice for several years and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dr. Dunn served on the board of directors of the Nacogdoches Independent School District and Angelina and Neches River Authority board of directors. He is survived by his wife, Mayra; two sons and a daughter; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a sister.

Thomas D. Edmonds

Dr. Edmonds (Georgia ’76), 68, Centerville, Tennessee, died Dec. 6, 2019. He owned Hickman Veterinary Hospital in Centerville, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for 42 years. Dr. Edmonds was a member of the Tennessee VMA and Hickman County Cattlemen’s Association. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge and Hickman County Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, Dr. Edmonds was named Hickman County Citizen of the Year. His wife, Bernadette; a son and a daughter; four grandchildren; and a brother and four sisters survive him. Memorials may be made to Shelter Friends of Hickman County, P.O. Box 111, Centerville, TN 37033.

Richard B. French Sr.

Dr. French (Auburn ’55), 93, Collierville, Tennessee, died Nov. 19, 2019. Following graduation, he practiced large animal medicine in Monticello, Kentucky. In 1957, Dr. French moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and established North Memphis Pet Clinic, where he practiced small animal medicine for almost 30 years prior to retirement. A World War II veteran, he served in the Navy. Dr. French is survived by four children, 10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and a sister.

Sayed M. Gaafar

Dr. Gaafar (Texas A&M ’55), 95, West Lafayette, Indiana, died Oct. 28, 2019. He was a founding faculty member and professor emeritus in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gaafar’s research focused on parasitology. During his tenure, he traveled to several countries, including Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Egypt, Japan, and England, on academic assignments. Dr. Gaafar retired in 1991.

He was a founding member and a past president of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology and was a past editor-in-chief of Veterinary Parasitology. Active in his community, Dr. Gaafar was a member of the Lions Club and Masonic Lodge and served as a volunteer with the Red Coat Ambassador Program, providing assistance at the former Lafayette Home Hospital. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, three stepchildren, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, three brothers, and two sisters. Memorials may be made to Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Office of Advancement, Lynn Hall, Room 1177A, 625 Harrison St., West Lafayette, IN 47907.

Paul W. Husted

Dr. Husted (Pennsylvania ’53), 91, Fort Collins, Colorado, died Jan. 3, 2020. Following graduation and after completing an internship in small animal medicine at what was known as the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, he joined the Air Force as a first lieutenant, retiring in 1975 with the rank of colonel. During his military service, Dr. Husted worked at the Air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, and served as chief of veterinary services at the Loring Air Force Base in Maine, Military Working Dog Center at the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, and Clark Air Base in the Philippines. He received three Air Force Commendation medals and a Legion of Merit.

Subsequent to retiring from the Air Force, Dr. Husted completed a residency in small animal medicine at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. He then joined the veterinary faculty, serving as an assistant professor and administrative head of the small animal medicine service from 1979 until retirement in 1989.

In retirement, Dr. Husted volunteered with the Earthwatch Institute and Oceanic Society. Memorials may be made to Food Bank for Larimer County, 5706 Wright Drive, Loveland, CO 80538, or to One Cure, benefiting the clinical trials program at Colorado State University’s Flint Animal Cancer Center, and sent to the Colorado State University Foundation, P.O. Box 1870, Fort Collins, Colorado 80522.

Asa E. Kelley

Dr. Kelley (Michigan State ’57), 90, Addison, Michigan, died Nov. 23, 2019. Following graduation, he embarked on a career in large animal medicine, serving farms across southern Michigan. Dr. Kelley later owned a practice in Addison, where he practiced small animal medicine until retirement in 1994. He also farmed, growing corn, soybeans, and wheat. In 1986, Dr. Kelley was named Lenawee Conservation District Conservation Farmer of the Year.

An avid coon hunter, he served several years on the board of directors for the Purina Outstanding Nite Hunt Coonhound Award. Dr. Kelley also served on the board of education for Addison Community Schools. He was a veteran of the Navy.

Dr. Kelley is survived by his wife, Helen; three sons and a daughter; and four grandchildren. One son, Dr. Andrew E. Kelley (Ross ’93), owns what used to be his father’s small animal practice. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Cumberland County, 30 E. Adams St., Crossville, TN 38555; Fairfield Glade Fire Department, 7258 Peavine Road, Fairfield Glade, TN 38558; or Focus on Cumberland County Animal Safety Distressed Animal Program, P.O. Box 3245, Crossville, TN 38557. 

Shannon A. Layne

Dr. Layne (North Carolina State ’10), 36, Shorewood, Illinois, died Oct. 13, 2019. She most recently practiced mixed animal medicine at Lewis Veterinary Clinic in Linden, Pennsylvania. Dr. Layne is survived by her mother, a brother, and a sister. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

George F. McKerley

Dr. McKerley (Auburn ’82), 67, Jacksonville, Alabama, died Oct. 16, 2019. He owned Jacksonville Veterinary Medical Center, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for almost 38 years. Dr. McKerley was a member of the Alabama VMA. His life partner, Cynthia Newsome, and two sisters survive him. Memorials, toward the Dr. George Finis McKerley Endowment Scholarship, may be sent to Auburn University Foundation, 317 S. College St., Auburn, AL 36849.

Frederick M. McMullan

Dr. McMullan (Louisiana State ’91), 67, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died Oct. 7, 2019. He co-owned All Pets Hospital, a small animal practice in Baton Rouge. Dr. McMullan also worked closely with several local rescue organizations. A member of the Louisiana VMA, he was named the Ralph C. Cooper Veterinarian of the Year in 2017. Dr. McMullan is survived by his wife, Debbi, and a brother.

Robert B. Meyers

Dr. Meyers (Colorado State ’52), 93, Gold River, California, died Sept. 9, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he co-owned Sacramento Animal Hospital in Sacramento, California, with his brother, Dr. Fred Meyers (Colorado State ’46), from 1961-85. Earlier, Dr. Meyers was a veterinarian for the state of California. An Army veteran of World War II, he served in the Pacific Theater and received a Purple Heart. Dr. Meyers is survived by two sons, two daughters, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. His father, Dr. Luther D. Meyers (Colorado State ’23), worked for the California Department of Food and Agriculture prior to retirement.

Larissa A. Minicucci

Dr. Minicucci (Cornell ’00), 45, East Bethel, Minnesota, died Nov. 16, 2019. Following graduation and after earning a master’s of public health in 2004 from the University of Minnesota, she completed a fellowship with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, stationed in Fort Collins, Colorado, at the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases. During that time, Dr. Minicucci worked on projects in Uganda and Madagascar.

In 2006, she joined the veterinary faculty of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine as an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, subsequently becoming an associate professor. During her tenure, Dr. Minicucci focused on education and outreach initiatives and conducted research. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, she also served as director of the university’s dual-degree DVM/MPH program and co-directed the veterinary public health residency program. Dr. Minicucci founded the university’s Student Initiative for Reservation Veterinary Services, providing spay and neuter services and wellness care for pets in several Native American communities.

Active with the University of Minnesota Medical Reserve Corps, in 2008 she led a Health Emergency Response Team to Cedar Rapids, Iowa,  during flooding, helping to relocate more than 700 companion animals to a temporary shelter. Dr. Minicucci was also instrumental in the training of students to assist the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources with collecting tissue samples from deer potentially infected with chronic wasting disease.

In 2017, the University of Minnesota named her Outstanding Student Group Advisor. That same year, Dr. Minicucci received the Minnesota VMA Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2018, she was honored with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine’s Community-Engaged Scholar Award. Dr. Minicucci was also the recipient of the U.S. Public Health Service Crisis Response Service Award for her activities in response to Hurricane Katrina and the Foreign Duty Award for service she completed in Uganda and Madagascar. 

She is survived by her husband, Lou Cornicelli, and her family. Memorials may be made to Student Initiative for Reservation Veterinary Services, 225 VMC, 1365 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, or Veterinary Treatment Outreach for Urban Community Health, University of Minnesota Foundation, 200 Oak St. SE, Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55455.

Terence A. Osborn

Dr. Osborn (Illinois ’72), 74, Fort Myers, Florida, died Dec. 17, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Camp McDonald Animal Clinic in Mount Prospect, Illinois, for 33 years. In retirement, Dr. Osborn volunteered at several animal shelters. His wife, Victoria; a daughter and a son; and a grandchild survive him. Memorials may be made to Canine Companions for Independence, P.O. Box 446, Santa Rosa, CA 95402.

Thomas T. Reed

Dr. Reed (Purdue ’63), 88, Clermont, Florida, died Nov. 25, 2019. He practiced small animal medicine in Indiana and Florida for 52 years. During that time, Dr. Reed owned a practice in Bargersville, Indiana, for several years. His wife, Karen; two sons and a daughter; three grandchildren; and a sister survive him.

Charles W. Renshaw

Dr. Renshaw (Michigan State ’55), 92, Auburn Hills, Michigan, died Jan. 6, 2020. He owned a mixed animal practice in Imlay City, Michigan, prior to retirement in 1985. A past president of the Thumb VMA and Eastern Michigan State Fair board of directors, Dr. Renshaw was a life member of the Michigan VMA. His two sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Hope Lutheran Building Trust, 5462 Nicholson Hill Road, Hubbard Lake, MI 49747, or Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing, MI 48824.

Edwin W. Short

Dr. Short (Illinois ’57), 89, Oak Lawn, Illinois, died Oct. 10, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he most recently owned West Pullman Animal Hospital in Chicago and co-owned Plum Creek Veterinary Clinic in Crete, Illinois. Prior to that, Dr. Short owned Roseland Animal Hospital in Chicago. From 1949-52, he served in the Marine Corps, during the Korean War. Dr. Short is survived by two daughters, a son, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a brother. 

Jerry C. Spears

Dr. Spears (Auburn ’62), 85, Citra, Florida, died Nov. 12, 2019. He owned Animal Medical Hospital, a mixed animal practice in St. Petersburg, Florida, for more than 35 years. Dr. Spears also co-owned a pet emergency clinic in St. Petersburg. He retired in 1995. Dr. Spears raised cattle in retirement.

A past president of the Florida VMA, he served on the Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine for several years. Dr. Spears also served on the AVMA Council on Veterinary Service and AVMA Council on Education. He was a member of the board of directors of the Marion County Cattlemen’s Association and was an honorary director of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. Dr. Spears sponsored the Southeastern Youth Fair heifer show, was vice chair of the Animal Industry Technical Council, and was a member of the Marion County Farm Bureau and a charter member of the Florida Cracker Cattle Association.

He was named FVMA Veterinarian of the Year in 1977 and received the association’s Distinguished Service Award in 1989. Dr. Spears established the Clyde and Laura Spears Rural Animal Medicine Proficiency Award at the University of Florida for fourth-year veterinary students interested in food animal medicine.

He is survived by a son, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, two great great-grandchildren, and a sister. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Marion County, 3231 SW 34th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474; Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 421929, Kissimmee, FL 34742; or Clyde and Laura Spears Rural Animal Medicine Proficiency Award, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Roy L. Wright

Dr. Wright (Cornell ’64), 83, Cedar Bluff, Virginia, died Nov. 13, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Valley Animal Hospital in Cedar Bluff and Grundy Animal Hospital in Grundy, Virginia. Dr. Wright was a past president of the Richlands Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a veteran of the Army. Dr. Wright is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two daughters and two sons; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two sisters and a brother.