In Memory – August 1, 2024

Stephen L. Berg

Dr. Berg (Minnesota ’70), 78, Ankeny, Iowa, died May 28, 2024. From 1977 until retirement in 2007, he worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. During that time, Dr. Berg served in a variety of roles, including poultry specialist, plant supervisor, inspector in charge, and circuit supervisor. Earlier in his career, Dr. Berg was in large animal practice. His wife, Linda; two sons and a daughter; four grandchildren; and two brothers survive him. Memorials may be made to Hopkins Grove United Methodist Church, 14605 NW Madrid Drive, Madrid, IA 50156.

Mary L. Dulisch

Dr. Dulisch (Illinois ’76), 71, Moorpark, California, died June 16, 2024. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, she practiced at Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group in Ventura, California, for more than 28 years prior to retirement in 2019. Dr. Dulisch previously worked a short period at West LA Veterinary Group in Los Angeles. Early in her career, she served as an assistant professor of surgery at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and was a staff surgeon at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.

Dr. Dulisch served as a contributing author for several veterinary surgery textbooks and created medical illustrations for scientific papers and textbooks. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Stephen A. Bilbrey (Colorado State ’85), also a veterinarian, and three brothers. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or Operation Smile, 3641 Faculty Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23453.

Walter D. Felker

Dr. Felker (Iowa State ’53), 96, Ankeny, Iowa, died February 25, 2024. From 1987-99, he served as Iowa state veterinarian. During that time, Dr. Felker helped eradicate swine pseudorabies in the state. Earlier in his career, he briefly owned a practice in Carroll, Iowa, and worked at a practice in Manning, Iowa. Active in his community, Dr. Felker played an important role in founding the Municipal Housing Agency of Manning. He was a veteran of the Navy. Dr. Felker is survived by four daughters and their families. Memorials may be made to the Congregation of the Humility of Mary, Development Office, 820 W. Central Park Ave., Davenport, IA 52804, or Shrine of Saint Patrick , 622 West Exchange, Kahoka, MO 63445.

Stephen C. Jaffe

Dr. Jaffe (Saskatchewan ’73), 82, Wilmington, North Carolina, died June 26, 2024. He practiced nearly 40 years at Needham Animal Hospital in North Carolina at Carolina Beach and Wilmington. Dr. Jaffe previously served as the curator and veterinarian at what was known as the Philadelphia Zoological Garden. He was a past treasurer of the former North Carolina Academy of Small Animal Medicine and a member of the North Carolina VMA.

Dr. Jaffe served on the board of directors of Canines for Service, a nonprofit organization that provides service dogs to veterans, and was a member of Brunswick Search and Rescue Inc. A lieutenant in the Navy during the Vietnam War, he was also a member of the Navy League of the United States, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, and Military Officers Association of America.

Dr. Jaffe is survived by his wife, Ingrid; a son; and a sister. Memorials may be made to Canines for Service, 221-1 Old Dairy Road, Wilmington, NC 28405, or The Stables at Poplar Grove, 10200 Highway 17N, Wilmington, NC 28411.

Arthur F. Lippoldt

Dr. Lippoldt (Illinois ’64), 85, Hamel, Illinois, died December 13, 2023. He co-owned Hawthorne Animal Hospital in Glen Carbon, Illinois, for 38 years. Dr. Lippoldt was a member of the Illinois State VMA and was a past state chair and a past president of the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited. His wife, Linda; two sons and two daughters; 10 grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a sister survive him. Memorials may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation, 200 SE 1st St., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131.

Stephanie Lennon Morris

Morris (Colorado State ’24), 33, Fort Collins, Colorado, died February 8, 2024. She was a fourth-year student at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. During her first year of veterinary college, Morris received the Thomas L. Spurgeon Book Award, recognizing her knowledge and enthusiasm for learning anatomy and for fostering teamwork and community by assisting her classmates. She was also honored for leadership and academic achievements as an undergraduate student at the University of Texas in Austin. Morris was active with several volunteer and nonprofit organizations. She is survived by her parents and two siblings. Memorials may be made to Central Texas Dachshund Rescue, 7544 FM 1960 Road East #71, Humble, TX  77346, or Austin Pets Alive! 1156 W. Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX 78703.

Francis P. Moynagh

Dr. Moynagh (Kansas State ’64), 85, Krum, Texas, died February 27, 2024. He owned Westgate Veterinary Hospital, a mixed animal practice in Denton, Texas, prior to retirement in 2007. Early in his career, Dr. Moynagh served in the Army Veterinary Corps. He attained the rank of captain. Dr. Moynagh is survived by his wife, Jane; a daughter and a son; and three grandchildren. His son, Dr. Mark Moynagh (Texas A&M ’95), is also a veterinarian. Memorials, toward Fund #V93869, may be made to Kansas State University Foundation, 1800 Kimball Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan, KS 66502.

Lawrence W. Samples Jr.

Dr. Samples (Pennsylvania ’71), 81, Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, died July 9, 2024. He practiced large animal medicine in Hummelstown. Dr. Samples also took care of exotic animals at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Pennsylvania Holstein Association, and Livestock Exporters Association of the USA. Dr. Samples is survived by his wife, Anita; two daughters and a son; four grandchildren, and a brother. Memorials may be made to Eastern PA Youth Soccer Association's Grow the Game Fund, 4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, or to Doctors Without Borders, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741.

Caroline B. Schaffer

Dr. Schaffer (Ohio State ’71), 78, Tuskegee, Alabama, died December 7, 2023. She was an assistant professor of small animal medicine and surgery and director of human-animal relationships at Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. As founding director of the former Center for the Study of Human-Animal Interdependent Relationships at Tuskegee, Dr. Schaffer focused on human-animal relations, pet loss and grief, stress in veterinarians and veterinary students, compassion fatigue and burnout, communication in people and animals, and animal behavior. She also conducted research on shelter dog adoptability and client communications. Early in her career, Dr. Schaffer served 12 years as a small animal clinician in Columbus, Ohio, and spent two years as a research associate at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

A past president of the former American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians, Dr. Schaffer served on the board of directors of People, Animals, Nature Inc. She was also a member of the Alabama and Ohio VMAs and what is now known as Pet Partners. Dr. Schaffer co-authored the brochure “HIV/AIDS and Pet Ownership.” In 2000, she was named the Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year.

Dr. Schaffer is survived by her husband, Dr. David D. Schaffer (Tuskegee ’71), also a veterinarian, and two siblings. Memorials may be made to the Dr. Caroline Schaffer Memorial Award, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Office of the Dean, 201 Patterson Hall, Tuskegee, AL 36088, or Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090.

William R. Wilson Jr.

Dr. Wilson (Georgia ’62), 87, Robbins, North Carolina, died January 16, 2024. Following graduation, he served in the Air Force Veterinary Corps. Dr. Wilson subsequently established a mixed animal practice in Robbins. He also conducted research at North Carolina State University. Dr. Wilson is survived by his family.

A version of this story appears in the October 2024 print issue of JAVMA

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