In Memory – Nov. 10, 2022

AVMA member

AVMA honor roll member

Nonmember

Aurelio H. Almazan Jr.

Dr. Almazan, 81, Evanston, Illinois, died Aug. 5, 2022. A 1964 veterinary graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman, he was the founder of Milwaukee Animal Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Almazan also co-owned Skokie Animal Hospital in Skokie, Illinois. Early in his career, he worked briefly as a meat inspector and practiced at Stresser Animal Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Almazan was a life member of the Chicago VMA. His wife, Natividad; four sons; a grandchild; and two sisters and two brothers survive him. One son, Dr. Eugene J. Almazan (Illinois ’97), is also a veterinarian. Memorials may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163. 

Stephen I. Bistner

Dr. Bistner (Cornell ’65), 83, Maple Grove, Minnesota, died Aug. 18, 2022. Following graduation, he served as an intern at the Henry Burgh Memorial Hospital in New York City and completed his residency at Cornell University. Dr. Bistner was subsequently awarded three fellowships, including two in ophthalmology, at Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. He went on to join the veterinary faculty of Cornell University, where he served as an assistant and associate professor of comparative ophthalmology and was acting director of the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery.

In 1977, Dr. Bistner moved to the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine as an associate professor of comparative ophthalmology, becoming a professor in 1983. He served in that capacity until 2004. Dr. Bistner also consulted with several companies, including Covance, Shin Nippon Biomedical Lab, Alcon, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Charles River Laboratories, and WuXi AppTec.

A founding diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology, he had a special interest in hereditary cataracts in purebred dogs and conducted research on and developed techniques for intraocular phacofragmentation and new techniques for vitrectomy. Dr. Bistner is survived by his wife, Cecilia, and a stepson and a stepdaughter and their families. Memorials may be made to the Temple Israel Camp Teko Campaign, 2323 Fremont Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55405.

Paul H. Bramson

Dr. Bramson (Illinois ’68), 80, Murrysville, Pennsylvania, died April 24, 2022. He worked at the University of Pittsburgh for nearly 30 years prior to retirement. During that time, Dr. Bramson managed the university’s biomedical animal research program and was involved with animal procurement for Thomas Starzl, MD, the first person to perform liver transplants in humans, and designing animal housing in the university’s Biomedical Science Towers. He also helped achieve full institutional credentialing with AAALAC International, which accredits organization that use animals in research, teaching, or testing, and he helped develop and refine the university’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Earlier in his career, Dr. Bramson worked at the Bushy Run Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University.

A member of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science, he served as president of the Three Rivers Branch of the AALAS for several years. Dr. Bramson volunteered at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. His wife, Toni Sue; a son and a daughter; four grandchildren; and two brothers and a sister survive him. A nephew, Dr. Jon Bramson (Pennsylvania ’89), is also a veterinarian. Memorials may be made to the Pittsburgh Zoo Docent Program, One Wild Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, or Murrysville Emergency Shelter Team, c/o Municipality of Murrysville, 4100 Sardis Road, Murrysville, PA 15668.

James M. Carey

Dr. Carey (Iowa State ’66), 81, Shipshewana, Indiana, died Aug. 27, 2022. Following graduation, he practiced in the suburbs of Chicago for three years. Dr. Carey subsequently established Carey’s Pet Hospital in Swansea, Illinois. He retired in 2000. Dr. Carey is survived by his wife, Fran; a daughter and a son; and eight grandchildren.

Edward S. Dalland Jr.

Dr. Dalland (Cornell ’68), 79, Coxsackie, New York, died May 15, 2022. A small animal veterinarian, he was a former owner of Capitaland Animal Hospital in Latham, New York. Dr. Dalland is survived by his wife, Lynette; two sons and two daughters; four grandchildren; and two sisters.

Blair R. English

Dr. English (Pennsylvania ’57), 90, York, Pennsylvania, died June 19, 2022. He owned a practice in Dover, Pennsylvania, for 40 years. Dr. English served on the Dover Area School District’s board of directors and was a member of the Dover Lions Club. He is survived by a daughter, three sons, nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a sister. Memorials may be made to the Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9 Main St., Dover, PA 17315.

Gary R. McCabe

Dr. McCabe (Iowa State ’67), 78, Minneapolis, died April 12, 2022. He practiced small animal medicine at River Ridge Pet Clinic in Burnsville, Minnesota. Dr. McCabe was a veteran of the Air Force. During his military service, he was base veterinarian at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska. Dr. McCabe is survived by his wife, Barbara; a daughter and a son; five grandchildren; and three siblings.

Donald C. Randall Jr.

Dr. Randall (Michigan State ’60), 86, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, died Sept. 9, 2022. For most of his career, he worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Veterinary Services, eventually becoming the inspection and compliance director at the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics. Dr. Randall helped establish several aspects of the structure and functions of the federal veterinary biologics program and received a Superior Service Award for his work in biologics.

Following his retirement from the USDA in 1998, he served as a consultant for manufacturers of animal vaccines. Dr. Randall was a member of the National Association of Federal Veterinarians and the United States Animal Health Association. He volunteered with the Evergreen Audubon Nature Center and the Denver Zoo. Dr. Randall is survived by his life partner, Carmon Slater, and a brother. Memorials may be made to the Evergreen Nature Center, P.O. Box 523, Evergreen, CO 80437; Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver, CO 80205; or Actors Inc., P.O. Box 1548, Ames, IA 50014, with the memo line of the check designated in memory of Dr. Donald Randall.

Jill Ruderman

Dr. Ruderman (Virginia-Maryland ’98), 53, Finksburg, Maryland, died Aug. 25, 2022. She most recently practiced at Hampstead Veterinary Center in Hampstead, Maryland. A member of the Cat Fanciers Association, Dr. Ruderman bred and showed cats. She is survived by her veterinarian husband, Dr. David E. Vaughan (Virginia-Maryland ’91); a son and a daughter; her mother; and two brothers. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 405 Williams Court, Suite 120, Baltimore, MD 21220, or the Humane Society of Carroll County, 2517 Littlestown Pike, Westminster, MD 21158.

William J. Trefz

Dr. Trefz (Colorado State ’56), 92, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, died Aug. 31, 2022. He owned Wheat Ridge Small Animal Hospital for 35 years. A past president of the Colorado VMA, Dr. Trefz served in the AVMA House of Delegates from 1977-84. He was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and Veterinary Management Groups. In 1986, Dr. Trefz was named CVMA Veterinarian of the Year. His wife, Jackie; three sons and a daughter; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a brother survive him. Memorials may be made to the Wheat Ridge Presbyterian Church, 9180 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

Donald L. Waddell

Dr. Waddell (Kansas State ’55), 91, Kingston, Oklahoma, died Sept. 10, 2022. Following graduation, he established Woodward Animal Practice in Woodward, Oklahoma, where he worked until 1992. Dr. Waddell later served as a relief veterinarian, retiring in 2001. He was a member of the Oklahoma VMA and the board of directors of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Federation, serving the federation as a regional director for five years.

Dr. Waddell was involved in field trials of pointing dogs on the amateur level and Retriever hunting tests. He served on the local board of education and was a Scoutmaster for 15 years, receiving a Silver Beaver Award. Dr. Waddell helped establish the Woodward chapter of Ducks Unlimited, serving as area chairman for seven years. His son, daughter, stepdaughter, stepson, 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, and two sisters survive him.

Please report the death of a veterinarian promptly to the AVMA News staff via a toll-free phone call at 800-248-2862, ext. 6754; email at newsavma [dot] org; or fax at 847-925-9329. For an obituary to be published, AVMA News must be notified within six months of the date of death.