February 01, 2021

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Richard G. Ainley

Dr. Ainley (Pennsylvania ’48), 98, Santa Maria, California, died Oct. 21, 2020. Primarily a small animal veterinarian, he owned The Pet Hospital in Santa Maria for 32 years prior to retirement. Dr. Ainley previously worked in Bakersfield, California; Corvallis, Oregon; and Fresno, California. He was a past president of the Midcoast VMA and a member of the California VMA. Dr. Ainley served in the Army during World War II. His two daughters, a son, four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and a brother survive him. Memorials may be made to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173.

Joseph D. Bergevin

Dr. Bergevin (Washington State ’60), 84, Shoreline, Washington, died Oct. 12, 2020. He owned Woodinville Equine Hospital in Woodinville, Washington, prior to retirement in 2015. Dr. Bergevin was known for his expertise in equine arthroscopic knee and ankle surgery and equine colic surgery.

Following graduation, Dr. Bergevin worked in California at Salinas and Madera. In 1963, he established an equine practice in Kirkland, Washington. From 1972-73, he served as a visiting assistant professor at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Bergevin then returned to his equine practice, co-founding Woodinville Equine Hospital in 1975. He also owned a hunter-jumper training stable in Bellevue, Washington, for more than 20 years and competed in rodeos and team roping events throughout his career.

A member of the Washington State VMA, Dr. Bergevin served on its Program Committee for several years. In 2002, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine honored him with an Excellence in Practice Award.

Dr. Bergevin is survived by six sons, 17 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and a sister and a brother. A grandson, Dr. Joseph D. Bergevin (Washington State ’15), practices in Ellensburg, Washington. Memorials, notated to the Dr. Joseph Bergevin Memorial Scholarship in Equine Medicine, may be sent to Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 641927, Pullman, WA 99164.

Dayle D. Colberg

Dr. Colberg (Iowa State ’63), 89, Inwood, Iowa, died Oct. 28, 2020. During his career, he practiced large animal medicine in South Dakota at Woonsocket and Platte and worked as a meat inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Yankton, South Dakota. Dr. Colberg was an Army veteran of the Korean War. He is survived by his sister. A nephew-in-law, Dr. Gene Boysen (Kansas State ’89), is a veterinarian in Minnesota.

Wayne L. Fawver

Dr. Fawver (Iowa State ’65), 79, Hollister, Missouri, died Oct. 17, 2020. A small animal veterinarian, he began his career working in Moline, Illinois. Dr. Fawver subsequently served in the Army Veterinary Corps, attaining the rank of captain. He went on to own a practice in Sterling, Illinois, later practicing in Branson, Missouri, until retirement. Dr. Fawver’s wife, Marvel; a son and a daughter; and a brother survive him. Memorials may be made to Dog Is My CoPilot, an organization that transports at-risk animals from overcrowded shelters to adoption centers in other geographic regions, and sent to P.O. Box 3399, Jackson, WY 83001.

Freddie R. Merritt

Dr. Merritt (Auburn ’68), 77, Eustis, Florida, died Sept. 21, 2020. Following graduation, he served two years in the Air Force. Dr. Merritt subsequently moved to Miami and began a career in small animal medicine. In 1980, Dr. Merritt established Merritt Animal Clinic in Eustis, where he practiced for 25 years prior to retirement. In retirement, he worked part time at the practice owned by his son Dr. Gregory Merritt (Florida ’10) in Mount Dora, Florida. Dr. Merritt’s wife, Kitty; two sons; three grandchildren; and three brothers survive him. Memorials may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 98018, Washington, DC 20090.

Solomon Michael

Dr. Michael, 81, Greensboro, Maryland, died Sept. 21, 2020. A 1964 graduate of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Madras Veterinary College in Chennai, India, he was in rural practice in India prior to moving to the United States in 1968. Dr. Michael then attended the University of Wyoming and the University of New Hampshire, where he studied animal nutrition, before joining Huffard Animal Hospital in Pasadena, Maryland. He subsequently owned a house call practice before establishing Stoney Run Veterinary Hospital in 1988 in Hanover, Maryland, where he practiced small animal medicine until retirement in 2005.

Dr. Michael is survived by his wife, Teresa; a son; a grandchild; and a sister and a brother. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Edwin T. Presley

Dr. Presley (Cornell ’55), 91, St. George, Utah, died Oct. 24, 2020. Following graduation, he owned a mixed animal practice in Fulton, New York, for 25 years. Dr. Presley later practiced small animal medicine in Ormond Beach, Florida, until retirement in 1998. His daughter, two sons, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church, 920 W. Tonaquint Drive, St. George, UT 84770.

Lewis J. Runnels

Dr. Runnels (Kansas State ’46), 95, West Lafayette, Indiana, died Nov. 8, 2020. Following graduation, he practiced in Garrett, Indiana. From 1953-55, Dr. Runnels served as a captain in the Army Veterinary Corps. He subsequently moved to Darlington, Indiana, and became a partner in a predominantly farm animal practice. In 1969, Dr. Runnels joined the veterinary faculty of Purdue University, where he eventually served as a professor of large animal medicine and surgery and as a professor of diagnostic medicine at Purdue’s Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. He retired as a professor emeritus in 1990.

Dr. Runnels served on the AVMA Animal Welfare Committee from 1981-89 and was a past chair of the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. He was a member of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, American Association of Swine Veterinarians, and Indiana VMA. Dr. Runnels was also a member of the Rotary Club of Lafayette. Known for his expertise in swine herd health, Dr. Runnels was awarded the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Howard Dunne Memorial Award in 1984.

In 1975 and 1987, the state’s swine specific pathogen–free association honored him with the Producer Service Award.

Dr. Runnels is survived by two sons and a granddaughter. One son, Dr. Paul L. Runnels (Purdue ’78), formerly worked for Zoetis in swine vaccine development. Memorials may be made to the Federated Church of West Lafayette Foundation, 2400 Sycamore Lane, West Lafayette, IN 47906; Lewis Runnels Endowment for Swine Production Medicine, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Development Office, 625 Harrison St., West Lafayette, IN 47907; or Westminster Village Foundation, 2741 N. Salisbury, West Lafayette, IN 47906.

David B. Sequist

Dr. Sequist (Cornell ’67), 79, Stowe, Vermont, died Sept. 17, 2020. A mixed animal veterinarian, he was the founder of Sequist Animal Hospital in Morrisville, Vermont, later establishing Sequist Large Animal Veterinary Service in Morrisville. Dr. Sequist retired after more than 50 years in practice. His wife, Jane; two sons and a daughter; four grandchildren; and three brothers survive him. Memorials may be made to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Daniel L. Simpson

Dr. Simpson (Texas A&M ’83), 61, The Woodlands, Texas, died Oct. 22, 2020. A small animal veterinarian, he was the former owner of FM 1960 Animal Hospital in Houston. Earlier in his career, Dr. Simpson practiced in the Pasadena and Magnolia areas of Texas. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Kathleen Martin Simpson (Texas A&M ’93), owner of Lone Star Animal Hospital in Magnolia; three sons; his mother; and two brothers. Memorials may be made to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, 8535 Highway 242, Conroe, TX 77385, or American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

Larry A. Suber

Dr. Suber (Georgia ’71), 72, Columbia, South Carolina, died May 3, 2020. Following graduation and after completing an internship at what is now known as Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, he took over Capital Animal Hospital in Columbia from his father, Dr. Pat Suber. Dr. Larry Suber served the greater Columbia area for more than 40 years prior to retirement. From 1995-2001, he was a member of the South Carolina Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. Dr. Suber is survived by his wife, Virginia; two sons and two stepdaughters; and six grandchildren. One son, Dr. Jonathan T. Suber (Tuskegee ’99), practices at Capital Animal Hospital. Memorials toward an intern fund may be made to Angell Animal Medical Center, c/o the Development Office, 350 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 01230.

Glenn D. Windom

Dr. Windom (Iowa State ’66), 88, Bethany, Missouri, died Aug. 12, 2020. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Missouri’s Harrison County for more than 50 years. Dr. Windom was a lifetime member of the Missouri VMA and was a past recipient of the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Food Animal Veterinarian Award. He was active with the 4-H Club and the National FFA Organization. Dr. Windom’s wife, Joan; three daughters; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters survive him. Memorials to the South Harrison High School Football Program or Northwest Missouri State Fair Junior Livestock Show may be sent c/o Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424.