October 15, 2020

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Leonard A. Anderson

Dr. Anderson (Kansas State ’54), 93, Menomonie, Wisconsin, died July 20, 2020. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Glenwood City, Wisconsin, until 1988. Dr. Anderson served as president of the Wisconsin VMA in 1975. Active in his community, he was mayor of Glenwood City for 12 years.

From 1945-47, Dr. Anderson served as part of the military police in the Army of Occupation, stationed in Germany. He was a member of the American Legion. Dr. Anderson is survived by his wife, Carlotta; five children; 19 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

Donald M. Keagy

Dr. Keagy (Colorado State ’59), 85, Apple Valley, California, died May 28, 2020. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Apple Valley for 40 years. Earlier in his career, Dr. Keagy worked in Brush, Colorado. He was a member of the Lions Club and was a veteran of the Army. Dr. Keagy is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Freddie H. Lawson

Dr. Lawson (Auburn ’69), 77, Pikeville, Kentucky, died June 23, 2020. Following graduation, he worked for Grady Animal Hospital in Cincinnati and Covington Animal Hospital in Covington, Kentucky. Dr. Lawson then practiced small animal medicine in Pikeville until retirement in 2017. His wife, Patricia; a daughter and two sons; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother and three sisters survive him.

Sharron L. Martin-Capen

Dr. Martin-Capen (Ohio State ’59), 84, Columbus, Ohio, died April 28, 2020. In 1995, she retired as professor emeritus of veterinary clinical sciences from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. During her 36-year tenure at the veterinary college, Dr. Martin-Capen also served as director of the Raptor Rehabilitation Program for 12 years.

She was a past president of the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology. In 1996, Ohio State’s veterinary college honored Dr. Martin-Capen with a Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 1999, she received an Alumni Recognition Award from Ohio State’s veterinary alumni society.

Dr. Martin-Capen’s late husband, Dr. Charles C. Capen (Washington State ’60), was a distinguished university professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Gavin L. Meerdink

Dr. Meerdink (Iowa State ’70), 75, Mahomet, Illinois, died July 4, 2020. From 1989 until retirement in 2005, he was a member of the faculty at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. During his tenure, Dr. Meerdink headed the clinical toxicology service at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; served as extension veterinarian, focusing on beef and feed safety; and oversaw the Veterinary Medical Research Farm.

Following graduation, he practiced for a year at Pines Meadow Veterinary Clinic in Oregon, Illinois. Dr. Meerdink subsequently established a primarily large animal practice in Denison, Iowa. In 1974, he joined Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he taught large animal internal medicine, working eventually at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. While at Iowa State, Dr. Meerdink became a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology. He went on to serve on the veterinary faculty of Michigan State University and headed the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Arizona in Tucson before joining the University of Illinois in 1989.

A past president of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Dr. Meerdink edited its newsletter for several years and helped establish the association’s Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. He was a member of the organizing committee for the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and held leadership roles in the ABVT, American Academy of Veterinary and Comparative Toxicology, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, National Animal Poison Information Network, and American Association of Bovine Practitioners.

In 2002, the AAVLD honored Dr. Meerdink with its E.P. Pope Memorial Award. He is survived by his wife, Lois; a daughter and a son; seven grandchildren; and two sisters and a brother. Dr. Meerdink’s father, the late Dr. Peter B. Meerdink (Iowa State ’44), was a veterinarian with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Memorials may be made to Mahomet United Methodist Church, 1302 E. South Mahomet Road, Mahomet, IL 61853, or the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.

Gene W. Sellick

Dr. Sellick (Cornell ’63), 81, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, died July 13, 2020. He was a supervisory public health veterinarian with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Philadelphia prior to retirement in 2012. Previously, Dr. Sellick served as a technical consultant for ContiGroup Companies Inc. and Hubbard Feeds Inc. Early in his career, he practiced at Rushford Veterinary Clinic in Rushford, New York, and Warsaw Veterinary Clinic in Warsaw, New York; was a partner at Spink Veterinary Associates in Attica, New York; and served as a field veterinarian for Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Sellick was a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. His wife, Burnace; three sons; four grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a sister and two brothers survive him. Memorials may be made to Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA 17604.

George D. Suddaby

Dr. Suddaby (Kansas State ’61), 88, Sarasota, Florida, died Feb. 29, 2020. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Englewood Animal Hospital in Englewood, Florida, and Clark Road Animal Clinic in Sarasota prior to retirement. Dr. Suddaby was a Navy veteran of the Korean War. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; a son and a daughter; and three stepchildren.

Herbert Tanzer

Dr. Tanzer (Cornell ’56), 88, Cardiff, California, died July 3, 2020. He practiced small animal medicine in New York City prior to retirement in 1981. Dr. Tanzer authored the book “Your Pet Isn’t Sick: He Just Wants You to Think So.” He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; three sons and two daughters; two grandchildren; and a brother. Two brothers-in-law, Drs. Herbert J. Rosenoff (Cornell ’56) and Elliott Jacobson (Missouri ’75), are retired veterinarians.

Jack K. Ward

Dr. Ward (Washington State ’58), 88, Hamilton, Montana, died May 21, 2020. Following graduation, he moved to Hamilton, where he joined Bitter Root Veterinary Clinic. In 1975, Dr. Ward established a large animal practice in Hamilton, working there until retirement in 2015. During that time, he also served as a senior research affiliate at Montana State University. Dr. Ward’s work in virology and immunology involved the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of weak calf syndrome and weak lamb disease. He also conducted collaborative research and consulted with Rocky Mountain Laboratories and Ribi Immunochem Research Inc. on immune-response modifiers for treatment of bovine cancer eye and equine sarcoid.

Dr. Ward was a past president of the Montana VMA and served on the board of directors of the Society for Theriogenology. He also served as an adviser to the Montana Horse Racing Commission and was a judge for competitive trail riding for the Bitterroot Valley. In 1983, Dr. Ward received the AVMA Practitioner Research Award. He was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2017.

Dr. Ward served as a delegate for the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention. He is survived by his wife, Della; two daughters; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters and a brother. Memorials may be made to the Bitter Root Humane Association, 262 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, MT 59840, or Marcus Daly Hospice Services, 1200 Westwood Drive, Hamilton, MT 59840.

Kent O. Warner

Dr. Warner (Washington State ’78), 73, Terreton, Idaho, died June 1, 2020. A mixed animal veterinarian, he owned West Jefferson Animal Clinic in Terreton. Dr. Warner also worked with racehorses in eastern Idaho for several years. He was a member of the Idaho and Eastern Idaho VMAs. Dr. Warner was active with the Boy Scouts of America. His wife, Brenda; three sons and a daughter; 13 grandchildren; and a sister survive him. A brother-in-law, Dr. Loren L. Stegelmeier (Colorado State ’65), is a mixed animal veterinarian in Idaho.

Donald D. Wathen

Dr. Wathen (Michigan State ’60), 89, Athens, Michigan, died June 26, 2020. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Athens for more than 50 years. Dr. Wathen was a veteran of the Army. His three children, six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, a great-great-grandchild, and two sisters survive him. Memorials may be made to the Athens Community Foundation, P.O. Box 205, Athens, MI 49011, or Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of Michigan, 2660 Horizon Drive SE, Suite 235, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.

Walter L. Widdowson

Dr. Widdowson (Georgia ’57), 88, Green Cove Springs, Florida, died May 6, 2020. He was the founder of Beltway Animal Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, where he practiced small animal medicine for 50 years. Following graduation, Dr. Widdowson served in the Air Force, attaining the rank of captain. He then joined Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he taught and earned his master’s in surgery in 1966. Dr. Widdowson subsequently taught and served as head of the small animal clinic at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine before moving to Florida.

He was a member of the Florida VMA and Jacksonville Veterinary Medical Society. Dr. Widdowson’s wife, Linda; a son and a daughter; and three grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602.

Paul A. Wittenberg

Dr. Wittenberg (Colorado State ’64), 80, Hot Springs, South Dakota, died April 20, 2020. He began his career working in Idaho. In 1967, Dr. Wittenberg moved to Hot Springs, where he established Fall River Veterinary Clinic. During his more than 50-year career, he also served as animal health coordinator and trainer for the South Dakota Animal Industry Board and was a member of the South Dakota Reserve Veterinary Medical Officer Corps.

Dr. Wittenberg was a past president of the South Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and South Dakota VMA. In 1996, he was named SDVMA Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Wittenberg was a member of the Hot Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and a past president of the Hot Springs Rotary Club. His wife, Kathleen; a son, two daughters, a stepdaughter, and a stepson; nine grandchildren; and a brother survive him. Memorials may be made to Pioneer Museum, P.O. Box 361, Hot Springs, SD 57747.

Manuel Zimmerman

Dr. Zimmerman (Cornell ’50), 96, Oro Valley, Arizona, died June 12, 2020. He practiced small animal medicine in New York state at New Rochelle and Pelham prior to retirement. Dr. Zimmerman was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. His wife, Nina; a son and three daughters; and five grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Adelson Library, Johnson Center for Birds & Biodiversity, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, or Flower-Sprecher Veterinary Library, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, S1 201 CVM Center, Ithaca, NY 14853.