December 15, 2021

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

John E. Andresen

Dr. Andresen (Cornell ’66), 80, Aquebogue, New York, died Oct. 9, 2021. Following graduation, he moved to eastern Long Island in New York and began his career in large animal medicine at Riverhead Animal Hospital. In 1994, Dr. Andresen co-established Mattituck-Laurel Veterinary Hospital in Laurel, New York. He also farmed and raised Percheron horses and Saanen goats. Dr. Andresen is survived by his wife, Maribeth; two daughters and a son; 11 grandchildren; his mother; and a sister and a brother.

Stephen K. Chmaitelli

Dr. Chmaitelli (Texas A&M  ’00), 45, Houston, died Aug. 15, 2021. Following graduation, he worked at large animal and equine practices in Texas before establishing a mixed animal practice in Carthage, Texas. In 2015, Dr. Chmaitelli founded Garden Oaks Veterinary Clinic, a small animal practice in Houston. He also owned A to Z Exotics & Capture, providing services to African game ranches across the state.

Active in organized veterinary medicine, Dr. Chmaitelli served on the Texas VMA board of directors, representing Harris County, and was a member of the TVMA Governmental Relations Committee. He also served on the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee for the city of Houston. Dr. Chmaitelli’s mother and sister survive him. Memorials may be made to Friends for Life Shelter, Don Sanders Adoption Center, 107 E. 22nd St., Houston, TX 77008, or Not One More Vet, P.O. Box 426656, San Francisco, CA 94142.

Louis l. Cyphers

Dr. Cyphers (Louisiana State ’85), 66, Hot Springs, Arkansas, died Sept. 5, 2021. Following graduation, he moved to Hot Springs, where he co-established Cyphers Veterinary Hospital with his former wife, Dr. Viki Cyphers (Louisiana State ’85), working there until the practice was sold in 2011. Dr. Cyphers also served as track veterinarian at Oaklawn Park racetrack from 1990. He is survived by his wife, Kristi; two sons and a daughter; two grandchildren; and three siblings.

Bruce A. Dejnozka

Dr. Dejnozka (Florida ’86), 65, Palm Harbor, Florida, died Sept. 15, 2021. He practiced in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for more than 20 years, most recently at Southpaw Animal Health in Tampa. Dr. Dejnozka is survived by a brother and a sister. Memorials, with the memo line of the check notated to the Tampa Bay Kennel Club Veterinary Medicine Scholarship #025835, may be made to the University of Florida Foundation Inc., Advancement Office, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 100125, Gainesville, FL 32610.

Ivey C. Dennard

Dr. Dennard (Georgia ’64), 80, Gordon, Georgia, died Aug. 19, 2021. Following graduation, he served briefly in the Army. Dr. Dennard subsequently established Gordon Animal Clinic, where he practiced until shortly before his death. His five children, nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two sisters survive him. 

James L. Heintz Sr.

Dr. Heintz (Tuskegee ’73), 73, Gonzales, Louisiana, died June 20, 2021. He began his career as an associate veterinarian at Lakeview Veterinary Hospital in New Orleans, subsequently becoming a partner in the practice. In 2005, Dr. Heintz joined Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine as an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, also serving as preceptorship coordinator. He retired from the veterinary college in 2016. In recent years, Dr. Heintz worked part time as an associate veterinarian at Dutchtown Animal Hospital in Prairieville, Louisiana, where son Dr. Jonathan M. Heintz (Tuskegee ’08) practices.

Dr. James L. Heintz Sr. was a past president of the Tuskegee Veterinary Medical Alumni Association and served on its Executive Council. Dr. Heintz was a past recipient of the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He is survived by his wife, Judy; two sons and two daughters; five grandchildren; and four siblings. Memorials may be made to Wish to Fish Louisiana.

James T. Hudson

Dr. Hudson (Cornell ’60), 90, Newcastle, Maine, died Sept. 8, 2021. Following graduation, he practiced mixed animal medicine in North Conway, New Hampshire. In 1963, Dr. Hudson established a practice in Bethel, Maine, working there until retirement in 1994. He helped establish the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter in Fryeburg, Maine, where he set up free spay/neuter services for animals in the shelter. Dr. Hudson was a past president of the Maine VMA. A veteran of the Army, he served as a second lieutenant in Germany. Dr. Hudson is survived by his wife, Pat; a daughter and a son; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Memorials may be made to the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, 1389 Bridgton Road, Fryeburg, ME 04037.

Ben E. Johnston

Dr. Johnston (Texas A&M ’63), 82, Houston, died Aug. 30, 2021. Following graduation, he served two years in the Air Force, attaining the rank of captain. Dr. Johnston then moved to Houston, where he became a partner at Westbury Animal Hospital. He retired in 2011. Dr. Johnston was a past president of the Texas and Harris County VMAs, served on the AVMA Group Health & Life Insurance Trust, was a past area director and regional coordinator for the American Animal Hospital Association, and served on several committees at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

A diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, he received several honors, including the TVMA Companion Animal Practitioner of the Year Award in 1983, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas A&M University in 1983, the Distinguished Alumni Award from TAMU College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in 1991, and the AAHA Region IV Practitioner of the Year Award in 1996. His wife, Yvonne; three sons and a daughter; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three sisters survive him.

Robert P. Litt

Dr. Litt (Kansas State ’46), 99, Lake Worth, Florida, died Oct. 3, 2021. Following graduation, he began his career in small animal medicine in Chicago. Dr. Litt also served as rabies commissioner for Cook County for several years. In 1978, he moved to Boca Raton, Florida, where he established a practice, working there well into his 80s. Dr. Litt helped establish the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. His two daughters, a son, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren survive him.

Dean A. Rice

Dr. Rice (Kansas State ’74), 71, Chandler, Arizona, died Oct. 13, 2021. During his career, he owned several practices in Arizona, including Tri-City Veterinary Hospital in Tempe, Tri-City East Veterinary Hospital in Mesa, Ahwatukee Animal Care Hospital in Phoenix, Mile-Hi Animal Hospital in Prescott, and Animal Clinic at Mountain Park in Phoenix. Dr. Rice also served for a period as chief veterinarian at the Phoenix Zoo, was executive vice president of the zoo for three years, and chaired its Animal Health Committee. He was an adjunct clinical professor at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine and a member of its Admissions Committee, and he was a visiting faculty member at South Mountain Community College and Mesa Community College. Most recently, Dr. Rice owned a veterinary consulting business and was director of veterinary science for the Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center, a high school in Phoenix.

Active in organized veterinary medicine, Dr. Rice served on the joint AVMA/American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Committee, the AVMA Legislative Advisory Committee, and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation; was a past chair of the AVMA Political Action Committee; served as Arizona delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates; was a past president of the Arizona VMA; and served on the Arizona Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. He was also a past director of the Western Veterinary Conference and was a member of the Arizona Academy of Veterinary Practice and the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. An avid conservationist, Dr. Rice led teams of students from the Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center and veterinarians via the AZVMA Africa Safaris program to South Africa, tracking and tagging various species of wildlife.

In 1991, Dr. Rice was named Arizona VMA Veterinarian of the Year. In 2005, he was honored by Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine with an Alumni Recognition Award. He was elected to the Arizona VMA Veterinary Hall of Fame in 2011. Dr. Rice was a member of the Tri-City Rotary Club for more than 25 years and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He chaired the board of directors of the former Arizona Boys Ranch. He served on the steering committees of the Arizona Animal Welfare League and Gabriel’s Angels, the latter organization helping at-risk children through pet therapy. Dr. Rice also served on the board of directors of Friends of the Preserve, an elephant preserve in Fredericksburg, Texas. He established the Dr. Dean Rice Veterinary Scholarship at Kansas State University to help reduce educational debt.

Dr. Rice is survived by his wife, Kenda; two daughters; five grandchildren; and a sister and a brother. Memorials may be made to Friends of the Preserve, 650 Doublehorn Road, Fredericksburg, TX 78671.