In Memory – March 2023
Published: 21 February 2023
AVMA member | AVMA honor roll member | Nonmember | Student
William E. Bates
Dr. Bates (Ohio State ’56), 91, Naples, Florida, died July 4, 2022. He owned a mixed animal practice in Harrison, Ohio, for 38 years prior to retirement. Dr. Bates was a member of the Ohio and Cincinnati VMAs. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Dr. Bates’ four children and eight grandchildren survive him.
Joseph W. Bitter
Dr. Bitter (Texas A&M ’64), 83, Edna, Texas, died Oct. 21, 2022. Following graduation, he served in the Air Force. Dr. Bitter subsequently worked in Pearsall, Texas, prior to establishing Edna Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice. He was a past director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and Texas VMA and was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Beefmaster Breeders United.
In 1984, Dr. Bitter received the Jackson County Top Producer Award for Beef Cattle. In 1986, he was honored with the TVMA President’s Award. Active in his community, Dr. Bitter was a past director of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture and was a past president of the Edna Independent School District board of trustees. Active with the Jackson County 4-H Club, he received its Outstanding Leader Award in 1983 and was named Upper Coast Distinguished Leader in 1984.
Dr. Bitter is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; 13 children; 33 grandchildren; and a sister and a brother. One son, Dr. John Bitter (Texas A&M ’97), is also a veterinarian. Memorials toward the Sursum Corda Foundation, a charitable trust established by Dr. Bitter, may be sent to 446 County Road 115, Edna, TX 77957.
James R. Duncan
Dr. Duncan (Ohio State ’61), 89, Hinckley, Ohio, died Oct. 6, 2022. He established Brookview Animal Hospital in Parma, Ohio, where he practiced small animal medicine for 50 years prior to retirement. Dr. Duncan also helped found an animal emergency clinic in Cleveland.
He bred, raised, showed, and judged Cocker Spaniels. Dr. Duncan was a member of the Ohio VMA and was active with the American Spaniel Club and the Cocker Spaniel Club of Northern Ohio. In the Cleveland area, he was also active with the former Brooklyn YMCA and the North Royalton Family YMCA and the Kiwanis Club of Brooklyn.
Dr. Duncan was a veteran of the Army. He is survived by his wife, Laurabeth; three sons and a daughter; and eight grandchildren.
Frankee P. Eliot
Dr. Eliot (Colorado State ’56), 91, Albuquerque, New Mexico, died July 22, 2022. Following graduation, she co-established a practice with her late husband, Dr. Theodore S. Eliot Jr., in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Dr. Eliot subsequently co-owned practices in New Mexico at Las Cruces, Silver City, and Santa Fe. During her career, she also taught at several universities and helped develop and taught in the veterinary technology program at Central New Mexico Community College.
In semi-retirement, Dr. Eliot served as a relief veterinarian, worked at racetracks, practiced part time at veterinary clinics in the area, and served as an inspector and investigator for the New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine. She was a past president of the former Women’s Veterinary Medical Association and was a member of the New Mexico VMA. In 2004, the NMVMA honored Dr. Eliot with a Distinguished Service Award.
She is survived by a son, two daughters, 14 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and a sister.
Paul E. Fenstermaker
Dr. Fenstermaker (Ohio State ’45), 101, Williamsport, Ohio, died Aug. 14, 2022. He owned a primarily large animal practice in Williamsport. Dr. Fenstermaker was also the veterinarian for the Pickaway County Fair for several decades. Active in his community, he served several terms on the Pickaway County Health Board and the Deercreek Township and Williamsport school boards. Dr. Fenstermaker is survived by his wife, Irma; three daughters and a son; 10 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Westfall Education Foundation, 19463 Pherson Pike, Williamsport, OH 43164; Williamsport United Methodist Church, 218 N. Main St., Williamsport, OH 43164; or Southwest Pickaway Fire District, 107 Green St., Williamsport, OH 43164.
Ralph D. Fish
Dr. Fish (Guelph ’52), 94, Perth, Ontario, died Oct. 5, 2022. He was a co-founder of Tay-Perth Veterinary Clinic in Perth. Following graduation, Dr. Fish worked briefly in Oshawa, Ontario. In 1953, he moved to Perth, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for 25 years prior to co-founding the Tay-Perth Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Fish was a past president of the Central Canada Veterinary Association and the Veterinary Purchasing Co. He was also a past president of the Rotary Club of Perth and was a Paul Harris Fellow. Dr. Fish was a member of the Perth & District Chamber of Commerce. In 2012, he was awarded the Perth Medal for his contributions to the community.
Wayne J. Fowles
Dr. Fowles (Cornell ’66), 82, Montgomery, Massachusetts, died Sept. 13, 2022. Following graduation, he worked in Vermont and Massachusetts before establishing his own practice in Westfield, Massachusetts. In 1974, Dr. Fowles designed and founded Westfield Animal Clinic in Westfield, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for 40 years. The clinic was recognized by Veterinary Economics magazine for its design. Dr. Fowles’ wife, Louise; a son and three daughters; eight grandchildren; and two sisters survive him.
Peter H. Franz
Dr. Franz (Minnesota ’59), 88, Edina, Minnesota, died Oct. 23, 2022. Following graduation, he practiced in Austin, Minnesota, focusing on large animals. Dr. Franz subsequently moved to Edina, where he worked for International Multifoods Corp. and Zinpro. He later established TechMix, developing BlueLite, an electrolyte used for pigs and cows.
Dr. Franz’s wife, Marion; two sons and two daughters; four grandchildren; and a sister survive him. Memorials may be made to the Veterinary Medical Center, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1365 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108.
Richard J. Fuchs
Dr. Fuchs (Auburn ’56), 92, Louisville, Kentucky, died Aug. 29, 2022. Following graduation, he served two years in the Air Force, attaining the rank of captain. Dr. Fuchs subsequently established what is now known as Shively Animal Clinic & Hospital in Louisville. He is survived by three sons and two daughters. Both daughters, Drs. Mary Jane Fuchs (Auburn ’87) and Joyce Fuchs (Auburn ’88), and two sons, Drs. David Fuchs (Auburn ’89) and Joseph Fuchs (Auburn ’89), are also veterinarians. Memorials may be made to the National Parkinsons Institute, P.O. Box 4474, Louisville, KY 40204.
Wilfred E. Gagne
Dr. Gagne (Michigan State ’61), 91, Sequim, Washington, died Sept. 1, 2022. He was a small animal veterinarian. Dr. Gagne is survived by his family.
Estelle H. Geller
Dr. Geller (Cornell ’47), 95, New York City, died Nov. 27, 2022. She was the founding director of the Animal Institute at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, where she also served as an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology. During her tenure of more than 35 years, Dr. Geller earned a master’s in public health from Columbia University. She was a diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and a charter member of the former Association for Women Veterinarians. Dr. Geller is survived by two sons, a daughter, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Earthjustice, 50 California St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94111.
Daniel L. Heiden
Dr. Heiden (Iowa State ’67), 82, Minnetonka, Minnesota, died July 18, 2022. He owned Boulevard Animal Hospital in Minneapolis until 1985. Dr. Heiden later worked at several clinics in the area. Earlier in his career, he practiced in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Omaha, Nebraska.
Dr. Heiden was a lifetime member of the Minnesota VMA. In 1985, he briefly served as a relief veterinarian in Haiti. He was active with the Boy Scouts of America, serving as a Boy Scout leader. Dr. Heiden is survived by his wife, Ruby; two sons and two daughters; 12 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two sisters. Memorials may be made to Global Health Ministries, 7831 Hickory St. NE, Fridley, MN 55432, or World Mission Prayer League, 232 Clifton Ave. #3497, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
William J. Henderson
Dr. Henderson (Colorado State ’69), 82, Rancho Santa Fe, California, died Nov. 22, 2022. From 1980-2020, he owned Parkway Pet Clinic in Escondido, California. Prior to that, Dr. Henderson worked at Crenshaw Animal Hospital in Los Angeles. He was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
Dr. Henderson’s wife, Judith; two daughters and a son; five grandchildren; and two sisters and a brother survive him. One daughter, Dr. Tya Henderson (Prince Edward ’03), is also a veterinarian. Memorials may be made to the Guide Dogs of America–Tender Loving Canines, 13445 Glenoaks Blvd., Sylmar, CA 91342.
Jan D. Huber
Dr. Huber (Ohio State ’58), 88, Sun City West, Arizona, died Dec. 5, 2022. He practiced large animal medicine for 16 years in Millersburg, Indiana, and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 30 years prior to retirement in 2004. While in large animal practice, Dr. Huber also served a period as resident veterinarian for Marlu Farms, a Jersey breeding operation in Lincroft, New Jersey. During his career with the USDA, he spent several years involved in brucellosis eradication, serving as national epidemiologist for the brucellosis program from 1985-90. Dr. Huber is survived by his wife, Rose Marie.
Norman D. Jones
Dr. Jones (Illinois ’55), 93, Lynchburg, Virginia, died Sept. 24, 2022. Following graduation, he taught anatomy at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1957, Dr. Jones joined the Air Force. During his military career of 22 years, he served as a base veterinarian in England, Scotland, and California; was a resident in pathology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Armed Forces Institute of Pathology; assessed the effects of radiation on sheep while stationed at the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico; earned a master’s in veterinary pathology at the University of Connecticut; and was assigned to the Apollo program at NASA in Houston, where during the Apollo 11 and 12 missions, he designed and established protocols to evaluate the effects of lunar material on warm-blooded animals.
Dr. Jones later volunteered for posts in Asia and was stationed as a senior veterinary officer in South Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, monitoring and promoting public health activities. He attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and received the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal for his service. Following his military career, Dr. Jones pursued fellowship training at what was known as the Bowman Gray School of Medicine and served as chief of the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He ended his career at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Veterinary Services in Lynchburg.
Dr. Jones was a member of the Kiwanis Club. He is survived by his wife, YnDo; a daughter; and a grandchild. Memorials may be made to the Kiwanis Club of Lynchburg, P.O. Box 4372, Lynchburg, VA 24502.
Harry C. King
Dr. King (Auburn ’67), 80, Las Vegas, died Sept. 8, 2022. Following graduation, he served in the Air Force. Dr. King then moved to Las Vegas, where he established St. Francis Animal Hospital. He subsequently founded Legacy Animal Hospital in Henderson, Nevada, working there until retirement in 2008. Dr. King served in the Air Force Reserve for 23 years, attaining the rank of colonel. His wife, Ann; a son and two daughters; four grandchildren; and a sister survive him.
Robert W. Lammers
Dr. Lammers (California-Davis ’59), 91, Redding, California, died Aug. 1, 2022. He co-owned Lammers Veterinary Hospital, a small animal practice in San Pablo, California, with his brother, Dr. Victor Lammers Jr. (California-Davis ’57), prior to retirement. Dr. Lammers is survived by his wife, Prudence, and his family.
Earl E. Maxwell
Dr. Maxwell (Iowa State ’49), 98, Moville, Iowa, died Aug. 19, 2022. He began his career in Elmwood, Illinois. In 1953, Dr. Maxwell moved to Moville, where he established a practice and Maxwell Farms. He served several terms as president of the Interstate VMA and was active with the Iowa State University Alumni Association. Dr. Maxwell was a member of the Masonic Lodge and served as a scoutmaster. He is survived by his wife, Helen; four children; and three grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Moville United Methodist Church, 450 S. 1st St., Moville, IA 51039, or St. Croix Hospice, 5710 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City, IA 51106.
Danny E. Moore
Dr. Moore (Auburn ’75), 74, Louisville, Kentucky, died Sept. 17, 2022. Following graduation, he worked in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Dr. Moore subsequently established Moore Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Louisville. He was a member of the Valley Masonic Lodge. Dr. Moore’s wife, Phyllis; a daughter, a son, and four stepdaughters; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister survive him. Memorials may be made to the Kentucky Humane Society, 1000 Lyndon Lane, Suite B, Louisville KY 40222.
Patrick M. Morgan
Dr. Morgan (Georgia ’58), 89, Norman, Oklahoma, died Dec. 6, 2022. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, he served as dean of the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine from 1977-84. As dean, Dr. Morgan oversaw the establishment of a veterinary teaching hospital, helped the veterinary college obtain full accreditation, and raised funding exponentially. During his tenure, he also served as a professor at the veterinary college, retiring as professor emeritus.
Following graduation, Dr. Morgan served two years in the Army Veterinary Corps. He subsequently worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, served as assistant dean for academic affairs at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and was deputy commissioner of health and served as state epidemiologist with the Oklahoma State Department of Health. While at Tulane University, Dr. Morgan developed and implemented a combined program for students to earn both a medical degree and a master’s degree in public health.
During his career, he also served a period as a professor and interim dean for the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. In 1983, the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine honored Dr. Morgan with a Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 1997, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine bestowed upon him the Outstanding Alumnus Award. Dr. Morgan’s wife, Barbara; a son; a grandchild; and three great-grandchildren survive him.
Elmer R. Reich
Dr. Reich (Kansas State ’59), 88, Carlsbad, California, died Oct. 12, 2022. During his career, he served as a partner at practices in Friend, Nebraska, and Marshall, Minnesota. Dr. Reich was a veteran of the Army, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. He is survived by his wife, Lorrine; two sons; and four grandchildren. A niece, Dr. Amy Melendy-Bruno (Illinois ’94), is also a veterinarian.
Katherine E. Searle
Dr. Searle (Ohio State ’09), 43, Columbia, South Carolina, died Oct. 22, 2022. A mixed animal veterinarian, she owned Palmetto Animal Health in Columbia. Earlier in her career, Dr. Searle served as a relief veterinarian and worked at Black Horse Animal Hospital in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is survived by her family.
Richard J. Sheehan Sr.
Dr. Sheehan (Cornell ’63), 91, Mansfield, Massachusetts, died Sept. 30, 2022. An equine veterinarian, he practiced at racetracks across New England, also operating a practice out of his farm in Mansfield. Dr. Sheehan was known for his expertise in equine lameness and consulted with Thoroughbred owners nationwide. He was a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Massachusetts VMA and was a past member of the AVMA Council on Education.
In the 1970s, Dr. Sheehan served on a committee whose work resulted in the founding of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. He established an endowed award for a Tufts University veterinary graduate showing proficiency in equine medicine and surgery, also establishing a fund for an equine library at the veterinary school. In 1986, Dr. Sheehan received the MVMA Distinguished Service Award. He was also a past recipient of the New England Turf Writers Association’s Sam McKracken Award for Lifetime Achievement for his contributions to New England racing.
Dr. Sheehan’s wife, Jane; four daughters and a son; four grandchildren; and a sister and a brother survive him. His son, Dr. Richard J. Sheehan Jr. (Tufts ’88), is also a veterinarian. Memorials may be made to the Veterinary Scholarship Trust of New England, P.O. Box 3221, North Attleboro, MA 02761.
Hal R. Sinclair
Dr. Sinclair (Kansas State ’58), 87, Kansas City, Missouri, died June 1, 2022. Following graduation, he practiced in Altus, Oklahoma. Dr. Sinclair subsequently owned a mixed animal practice in Kingman, Kansas, for 10 years. He then moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he began an advisory career with Diamond Laboratories. Dr. Sinclair went on to work with several veterinary health companies until retirement. He is survived by his wife, Nina; two sons and a daughter; five grandchildren; and a sister. Memorials may be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 6700 NW 72nd St., Kansas City, MO 64151.
Yiannis Stathopoulos
Stathopoulos (Cornell ’24), 24, New York City, died July 5, 2022. He was a third-year student at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Stathopoulos served as president of the Student AVMA chapter at Cornell. He had a special interest in wildlife and exotic animal medicine. Stathopoulos is survived by his family.
Larry O. Tadlock
Dr. Tadlock (Iowa State ’62), 89, Milan, Illinois, died Oct. 5, 2022. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Rock Island Animal Hospital in Rock Island, Illinois, prior to retirement in 2010. Following graduation, Dr. Tadlock worked in Moline, Illinois. From 1965-71, he served as a partner at a practice in Granite City, Illinois. Dr. Tadlock subsequently joined Rock Island Animal Hospital as a partner, eventually taking ownership of the practice. He also helped establish the Animal Emergency Center of the Quad Cities in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Dr. Tadlock was a longtime member of the Rotary Club, serving as president of the Rock Island Rotary Club and as chair of its Rotary Group Study Exchange Committee. He is survived by his wife, JoAn; three daughters; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; three great great-grandchildren; and a brother and two sisters. Memorials may be made to the Rock Island Rotary Club Foundation, P.O. Box 4514, Rock Island, IL 61204, or Friendship Manor, a nonprofit retirement community, and sent to 1209 21st Ave., Rock Island, IL 61201.
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 news@avma.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.
