May 15, 2020

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Kim J. Bodily

Dr. Bodily (Kansas State ’78), 69, Santa Clara, Utah, died Nov. 1, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Pet House Call & Hospital Inc., a house call practice that also incorporated oral surgical care. Dr. Bodily’s wife, Kathy; six children; 11 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild survive him.

Edward M. Braun

Dr. Braun (Iowa State ’53), 94, Hartford, Wisconsin, died Jan. 6, 2020. He owned Burleigh Road Animal Hospital in Brookfield, Wisconsin, where he practiced small animal medicine until retirement in 1995. Dr. Braun was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association. He served in the Army during World War II. Dr. Braun’s wife, Jean; two sons and two daughters; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Northwoods Land Trust, 519 E. Wall St., Eagle River, WI 54521.

Susan C. Gardner

Dr. Gardner (Oklahoma State ’70), 73, Huddleston, Virginia, died Jan. 20, 2020. Following graduation, she co-established Bedford Animal Hospital in Bedford, Virginia, with her husband, Dr. Don Gardner (Oklahoma State ’70). Dr. Gardner later served as director of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ regional diagnostic laboratory in Lynchburg until retirement.

She was a past president of the Piedmont VMA and served as a director of the Virginia VMA for several years. Dr. Gardner was a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and Virginia Academy of Food Animal Practitioners. She served on the board of directors of the Bedford County Farm Bureau and chaired its Women’s Committee for many years. In 2018, the bureau honored Dr. Gardner with the Distinguished Service Award. She was also posthumously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Virginia Academy of Food Animal Practitioners in 2020.

Dr. Gardner is survived by her husband, two sons, and four grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Huddleston Volunteer Fire Department, 5377 Smith Mountain Lake Parkway, Huddleston, VA 24104.

Borje K. Gustafsson

Dr. Gustafsson, 89, Urbana, Illinois, died Jan. 5, 2020. A 1960 graduate of the former Royal Veterinary College in Stockholm, he was dean of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine from 1989-98. As dean, Dr. Gustafsson led the veterinary college through curriculum changes that helped students pursue specialized courses of study, oversaw the development and construction of the Animal Disease Biotechnology Facility and Veterinary Teaching Hospital, played an important role in the reduction of the use of live animals in teaching and research at the college, and helped initiate and develop the Center for the Study of Animal Well-Being. In later years, he served as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.

Following his move to the United States in 1976, Dr. Gustafsson joined the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, where he served as a professor and directed the large animal theriogenology service. From 1978-87, he was head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine at the University of Illinois. Dr. Gustafsson subsequently served as interim dean of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine before taking over as dean.

A diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists, he helped host the 10th International Congress on Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination in 1984 at the University of Illinois. Dr. Gustafsson served as a co-director of Envirovet Baltic, a network of scientists from countries bordering the Baltic Sea and United States that was established to strengthen education, research, and application in ecosystem health.

In 1995, he was inducted as a distinguished practitioner into the National Academies of Practice. Dr. Gustafsson was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture in 1997 and he received the David E. Bartlett Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Theriogenologists and the Society for Theriogenology in 1998. He was also named Washington State VMA Veterinarian of the Year in 1998. In 2002, the Swedish Veterinary Association honored Dr. Gustafsson with the Peter Hernquist Gold Medal.

He is survived by his wife, Gunilla; two daughters and a son; and five grandchildren.

F. Keith Hart

Dr. Hart (California-Davis ’59), 89, Highland, California, died Dec. 13, 2019. He owned a practice for almost 40 years in Highland, where he practiced mixed animal medicine, focusing on small animals. Dr. Hart also held annual rabies vaccination clinics. He was a member of the Lions Club and was active with the Boy Scouts of America. The city of Highland dedicated its dog park to him. Dr. Hart was a veteran of the Army. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; three sons and a daughter; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Guide Dogs of the Desert, P.O. Box 1692, Palm Springs, CA 92263.

Barbara R. Kelley

Dr. Kelley (Purdue ’68), 82, Terre Haute, Indiana, died Dec. 17, 2019. She practiced small animal medicine at Bratt Animal Hospital in Terre Haute for more than 43 years. Dr. Kelley is survived by a brother. Memorials may be made to Heart to Heart Hospice, 4529 S. 7th St., Terre Haute, IN 47802.

Douglas P. Philips

Dr. Philips (Washington State ’58), 85, Medford, Oregon, died Dec. 15, 2019. He practiced small animal medicine for 42 years at Medford’s Rogue Animal Hospital, a practice he took over from his father, Dr. Stanley E. Philips (Washington State ’34). Dr. Philips was a past president of the Oregon and Rogue Valley VMAs, served on the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board, and was active with the Southern Oregon Humane Society. He was a past recipient of the American Animal Hospital Association’s Northwest Service Award.

Dr. Philips was involved with the Jackson County Planning Commission and Jackson County Health and Human Services. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Medford and Rotary Club of Medford. Dr. Philip’s four children, five grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and two brothers survive him. His grandfather, Dr. Charles S. Philips (Washington State ’02), was also a veterinarian.

Philip D. Plocher

Dr. Plocher (California-Davis ’54), 92, Santa Ana, California, died Dec. 1, 2019. He owned Uptown Animal Hospital in Long Beach, California, for 30 years. Dr. Plocher is survived by a daughter, a son, and a grandchild.

Dan F. Rice

Dr. Rice (Colorado State ’62), 86, Griffin, Georgia, died Dec. 21, 2019. Following graduation, he practiced in Denver, and he later practiced at Alpine Animal Hospital in Carbondale, Colorado. In 1987, Dr. Rice moved to Sun City, Arizona, where he served as associate director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

A veteran of the Coast Guard, he was a member of the American Legion. Dr. Rice was also a member of the Masonic Lodge. His two sons, five grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him.

William R. Robertson

Dr. Robertson (Texas A&M ’63), 82, Odessa, Texas, died Jan. 1, 2020. He owned Angel Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Odessa, for 50 years. Dr. Robertson later owned an equine practice in Odessa. Early in his career, he worked as a meat inspector in Fort Worth, Texas, and in St. Louis. He is survived by his wife, Mary; two daughters and two sons; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. One daughter, Dr. Rebecca Robertson-Bartershell (Ross ’98), and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Bartershell (Ross ’98), now own Angel Veterinary Clinic. Memorials may be made to Ector County Livestock Association, P.O. Box 1972, Odessa, TX 79760.

M. Paula Thorne

Dr. Thorne (Auburn ’83), 63, Bowling Green, Kentucky, died Dec. 28, 2019. In 2008, she founded All Cats and Dogs Veterinary Hospital in Bowling Green, where she practiced small animal medicine with a special interest in feline medicine. Earlier, Dr. Thorne owned Jacksonville Veterinary Services in Jacksonville, Alabama.

A member of the Alabama and Kentucky VMAs, she served on the ALVMA Wellness Committee. In 2002, Dr. Thorne was honored with the ALVMA Distinguished Service Award. She served on the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Advisory Council and was a member of the veterinary college’s Centennial Club.

Dr. Thorne is survived by her husband, Dannie Shepherd; a daughter and a son; her parents; and two brothers and a sister. Her daughter, Dr. Beth Hudson (Auburn ’14), practices at All Cats and Dogs Veterinary Hospital. Memorials may be made to Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Office of Development, 317 S. College St., Auburn, AL 36849.

Don B. Witcher

Dr. Witcher (Kansas State ’60), 85, Santa Fe, New Mexico, died Dec. 10, 2019. He owned Acoma Animal Hospital in Santa Fe for more than 30 years. Dr. Witcher is survived by his wife, Alice; a son and a daughter; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Santa Maria El Mirador, a nonprofit organization providing assistance to adults with intellectual disabilities, and sent to 10 A Van Nu Po, Santa Fe, NM 87509.

John B. Wood

Dr. Wood (Ohio State ’58), 88, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee, died Dec. 9, 2019. He practiced small animal medicine at Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Cincinnati for 54 years. Dr. Wood was a veteran of the Army Veterinary Corps, attaining the rank of captain. His wife, Jean; a son and two daughters; and 11 grandchildren survive him.