In Memory - April 2022
Published: 31 Mar 2022
AVMA member | AVMA honor roll member | Nonmember
Benjamin B. Baker
Dr. Baker (Colorado State ’61), 88, Carson, Washington, died Jan. 5, 2022. Following graduation, he practiced in Casper, Wyoming, and Eureka, California. After earning his doctorate in comparative pathology from the University of California-Davis in 1971, Dr. Baker joined academia, serving as a professor at UC-Davis and Colorado State University. He later went back into practice in Elk Grove, California, and served as a professor at Washington State University.
Dr. Baker received teaching awards throughout his academic career. He was a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. Dr. Baker was a member of the Retriever Field Trial Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Rotary Club. Dr. Baker served in the Army during the Korean War. His wife, Ann; five children; and five grandchildren survive him.
Mari S. Berens
Dr. Berens (Pennsylvania ’96), 55, Ewing, New Jersey, died Oct. 2, 2021. She practiced small animal medicine at Washington Crossing Animal Hospital in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, prior to retirement. Dr. Berens previously practiced at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and Twin Rivers Animal Hospital in East Windsor, New Jersey. She is survived by her mother and two sisters. Memorials may be made to Easel Animal Rescue League, P.O. Box 5903, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, or The Seeing Eye, P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963.
Todd W. Clark
Dr. Clark (Purdue ’72), 73, Lafayette, Indiana, died Jan. 10, 2022. He was the founder of Creekside Animal Hospital in West Lafayette, Indiana. Dr. Clark served as a high school football referee for more than 40 years, receiving the National Football Foundation’s Outstanding Game Official Award in 2018. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons; and two grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Natalie’s Second Chance Shelter, 10 S. 16th St., Lafayette, IN 47905.
Tiffany L. Delzell
Dr. Delzell (Iowa State ’93), 54, Jefferson, Iowa, died Jan. 29, 2022. She owned a practice in Gowrie, Iowa, until 2020. Earlier, Dr. Delzell served as a relief veterinarian in Gowrie and Fort Dodge, Iowa. Her husband, Dean; two daughters and a son; three grandchildren; her parents; and a brother survive her.
Thomas S. Eshbach
Dr. Eshbach (Minnesota ’96), 59, Fredericksburg, Virginia, died Jan. 11, 2022. He owned TLC Home Veterinary Services, a house call practice. Dr. Eshbach is survived by his wife, Roseann, and two brothers. Memorials may be made to Lifepoint Church, 1400 Central Park Blvd., Fredericksburg, VA 22401, or the Stafford County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 140 Andrew Chapel Road, Stafford, VA 22554.
Michael R. Floyd
Dr. Floyd (California-Davis ’61), 85, Kensington, California, died Jan. 5, 2022. Following graduation, he worked at the Berkeley Dog & Cat Hospital in Berkeley, California, practicing subsequently at Broadway Pet Clinic in Oakland, California, for a year. Dr. Floyd then established a practice in Albany, California, where he worked for seven years. He went on to serve a year as a house surgeon at the University of London Royal Veterinary College. Dr. Floyd then returned to his Albany practice, eventually focusing on dentistry. He later founded Orinda Veterinary Dental Service in Orinda, California, working there until retirement.
Dr. Floyd established the Michael R. Floyd Dental Operatory and the Floyd Tuition Support Fund at UC-Davis, where the grand atrium of Gladys Valley Hall was named in his honor. He was also recognized as a Chancellor’s Laureate at UC-Davis for his philanthropy. In 1992, Dr. Floyd received a UC-Davis Alumni Achievement Award. He was named the California VMA Registered Veterinary Technician’s Outstanding Veterinarian of the Year and the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry’s Fellow of the Year in 2000.
Dr. Floyd is survived by his wife, Nancy; three daughters; and six grandchildren.
Joseph F. Gravlee
Dr. Gravlee (Auburn ’56), 90, Cherokee, Alabama, died Jan. 23, 2022. Following graduation, he was in private practice in Florence, Alabama, for several years. Dr. Gravlee subsequently earned a master’s in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and founded Life Data Labs Inc., an animal nutrition research and manufacturing company. In the late 1970s, he formulated Farrier’s Formula Hoof Supplement, a supplement for horses.
Dr. Gravlee’s wife, Linda; two sons; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren survive him. One of his sons, Dr. H. Scott Gravlee (Auburn ’84), is also a veterinarian.
Donald E. Gray
Dr. Gray (Michigan State ’50), 98, Kalamazoo, Michigan, died Jan. 6, 2022. He owned a practice in Kalamazoo. Dr. Gray was a veteran of the Navy. He is survived by two daughters, a son, five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a sister.
Jack H. Gregg
Dr. Gregg (California-Davis ’70), 76, La Habra, California, died Dec. 4, 2021. He practiced small animal medicine for more than 50 years at Gregg Animal Hospital, established in La Habra in 1962 by his father, Dr. Jack Gregg Sr. (see obituary, May 15, 2003, JAVMA). Dr. Gregg’s wife, Mary; a daughter; and two grandchildren survive him.
Amy Halaburt
Dr. Halaburt (Purdue ’81), 65, Hebron, Indiana, died Oct. 8, 2021. During her career, she worked at several small animal practices in northwest Indiana and owned a mobile equine practice. Dr. Halaburt also earned a master’s in business administration from Indiana University Northwest in 1983. A past president of the Calumet Area VMA, she was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Dr. Halaburt’s husband, Gregg, and a sister and a brother survive her. Memorials may be made to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, P.O. Box 393, Hohenwald, TN 38462.
Deirdre A. Hall
Dr. Hall (Michigan State ’90), 56, Trufant, Michigan, died Nov. 25, 2021. She began her career in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Hall subsequently established a practice in Sand Lake, Michigan. She later bought Lepley Veterinary Clinic in Howard City, Michigan. Dr. Hall bred, handled, and trained Belgian Malinois. She was also a certified decoy for protection dogs. Dr. Hall’s husband, Ken; her father; and a sister survive her. Memorials may be made to the Kindred Hospice, 25925 Telegraph Road #102, Southfield, MI 48033.
James B. Lebo
Dr. Lebo (Washington State ’61), 89, Bremerton, Washington, died Nov. 27, 2021. He practiced small animal medicine in the Sunnyvale area of California prior to retirement in 1990. Dr. Lebo previously worked in Pennsylvania. He was active with the Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. Lebo was a veteran of the Army. His wife, Phyllis; two sons, a stepson, and two stepdaughters; and a grandson and six stepgrandchildren survive him.
Marvin O. Maul
Dr. Maul (Colorado State ’57), 89, Colorado Springs, Colorado, died Jan. 30, 2022. Following graduation, he established Comanche Veterinary Clinic, a large animal practice in Kiowa, Colorado. In 1967, Dr. Maul began a career in veterinary regulatory affairs, when he joined The Upjohn Co. in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He subsequently served as vice president and director of corporate regulatory affairs for Syntex Corp. in Palo Alto, California, for 20 years.
Dr. Maul was active with the Animal Health Institute, chairing several of its committees and task forces. He was also a past chair of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association’s Animal Health and Welfare Committee and served on the board of directors of the American Association of Industry Veterinarians. Dr. Maul was a past president and trustee of the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Foundation. In 2004, he received the Colorado Lions Foundation’s Humanitarian Award.
Dr. Maul’s wife, Nancy; a daughter; and a grandchild survive him. Memorials may be made to Leader Dogs for the Blind, 1039 S. Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48307, or toward the K9 Team and sent to the Douglas County Search and Rescue, P.O. Box 1102, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
Philip M. Salem
Dr. Salem (Minnesota ’61), 98, Selby, South Dakota, died Jan. 6, 2022. Following graduation, he worked as a veterinarian for the state of South Dakota. In 1963, Dr. Salem established Salem Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Mobridge, South Dakota. After he retired, he owned a cattle operation in rural Glenham, South Dakota, where he raised Simmental and Beefalo cattle. Dr. Salem was an Army veteran of World War II. He is survived by a son, two daughters, and a brother. Memorials may be made to the Christian Worship Hour, 1623 6th Ave. SE, Aberdeen, SD 57401.
Donald C. Smith Jr.
Dr. Smith (Louisiana State ’81), 68, Louann, Arkansas, died Sept. 7, 2021. He owned a small animal practice in Shreveport, Louisiana, prior to retirement. Dr. Smith also helped establish an animal emergency clinic. He is survived by his wife, Debbie; a daughter and a son; two grandchildren; and a sister and a brother. Memorials may be made to Operation Blessing, a nonprofit humanitarian organization, and sent to 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463.
Kenneth E. Taylor
Dr. Taylor (Kansas State ’46), 97, Olathe, Kansas, died Jan. 22, 2022. Following graduation, he practiced in Hastings, Nebraska. Dr. Taylor went on to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and Virginia Department of Agriculture. He served in the Army Veterinary Corps during World War II and the Korean War. Dr. Taylor’s two daughters, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren survive him.
Linda J. Taylor
Dr. Taylor (Guelph ’94), 73, Tazewell, Virginia, died Oct. 30, 2021. She owned Clinch Mountain Veterinary Services in Pounding Mill, Virginia. Dr. Taylor was also active with animal rescue. She was a member of the Tazewell County Master Gardeners. Dr. Taylor is survived by three sisters. Memorials may be made to the Friends of Russell County Animals, P.O. Box 1026, Lebanon, VA 24266.
Edward L. Umlauf
Dr. Umlauf (Colorado State ’74), 74, Windsor, Colorado, died Dec. 24, 2021. He began his career practicing in Fort Collins, Colorado. Dr. Umlauf subsequently established Sheridan Animal Clinic in Denver. In 1997, he began an ambulatory surgical practice. Dr. Umlauf was known for his expertise in spinal and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy surgeries. For the past 20 years, he worked out of the MaxFund Wellness Center and the Downtown Animal Care Center in Denver. Dr. Umlauf provided spay and neuter services at MaxFund and volunteered his services to K9 units.
His wife, Karla; three children; a brother and two sisters; and two grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to MaxFund Wellness Center and sent c/o Adamson Life Celebration Home, 2000 47th Ave., Greeley, CO 80634.
Jeffrey W. Vidt
Dr. Vidt (Illinois ’80), 67, Westmont, Illinois, died Jan. 1, 2022. Following graduation, he began his career at Downers Grove Animal Medical Clinic in Downers Grove, Illinois. Dr. Vidt subsequently worked at La Grange Park Pet Hospital in La Grange, Illinois, and in Sugar Grove, Illinois. In 2007, he joined West Suburban Veterinary Associates in Westmont, where he practiced until retirement in 2020.
Dr. Vidt was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, Association of Avian Practitioners, American Heartworm Society, and the Illinois State and Chicago VMAs. He had a special interest in Chinese Shar-Pei dogs and was a life member of the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America, serving as chair of the CSPCA Health Through Education Committee and as an obedience adviser for the club. Dr. Vidt also served as assistant director of training for the Lyons Township Dog Training Club. In 1997, he received the CSPCA William Morison Service Award.
Dr. Vidt is survived by his wife, Linda, and a brother and two sisters. Memorials may be made to the Community Adult Day Center, 4501 Main St., Downers Grove, IL 60515, or Chinese Shar-Pei Rescue Trust, 9101 S. 55th St., Oak Lawn, IL 60453.
