Obituaries
AVMA member
AVMA honor roll member
Frank F. Bellar
Dr. Bellar (AUB ’57), 80, Lafayette, Tenn., died July 11, 2005. He was in mixed practice in Lafayette. Dr. Bellar was a lifetime member of the Tennessee VMA.
Harold P. Brown
Dr. Brown (MSU ’57), 77, Westford, Vt., died Sept. 29, 2005. He worked part time at the Sequist Animal Hospital in Morrisville, Vt. Earlier in his career, Dr. Brown owned Brown Animal Hospital in South Burlington, Vt., for 32 years. He was a past president of the Vermont VMA and the Greater Burlington Humane Society. Dr. Brown served in the Army for two years.
His wife, Anne; a son; and a daughter survive him. Memorials in Dr. Brown’s memory may be made to the Class of 1957 Scholarship for Expanding Veterinary Horizons, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, A133 East Feel Hall, East Lansing MI 48824.
Elizabeth D. Chambers
Dr. Chambers (CAL ’76), 56, La Habra, Calif., died Sept. 11, 2005. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, she practiced veterinary ophthalmology in La Habra and Australia. Early in her career, Dr. Chambers practiced in Denver. Her husband was the late Dr. Douglas Slatter (see obituary).
Frederick C. Claugus
Dr. Claugus (OSU ’77), 53, Barnesville, Ohio, died Dec. 7, 2005. He owned Barnesville Veterinary Services and Woodsfield Veterinary Services. Dr. Claugus’ wife, Jean; three sons; and a daughter survive him. Memorials may be made to the Frederick W. Claugus Scholarship Fund, 23457 Hideaway Drive, Senecaville, OH 43780.
Richard J. Connell
Dr. Connell (KSU ’61), 69, Harper, Kan., died Nov. 18, 2005. He owned Harper Veterinary Clinic/Dry Gulch Veterinary Service in Harper for 40 years. Dr. Connell served in the Army Veterinary Corps for two years, attaining the rank of captain. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; three sons; and five daughters. Memorials may be made to the Dr. Richard Connell Scholarship Fund, c/o Elizabeth Connell, 459 E. Highway 160, Harper, KS 67058.
David J. Ellis
Dr. Ellis (MSU ’43), 89, East Lansing, Mich., died Oct. 4, 2005. He was professor emeritus of large animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University since 1986. Following graduation, Dr. Ellis practiced large animal medicine in Memphis, Mich., for eight years. He then served in the Army Veterinary Corps. In 1955, Dr. Ellis worked briefly as public health veterinarian and assistant state veterinarian. He joined the MSU faculty that same year. During his career, Dr. Ellis also served as field service veterinarian and section chief of field investigations at the MSU Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory.
His many honors include the Michigan VMA Service Award in 1968; Michigan County Agents Association’s Outstanding Extension Specialist Award in 1982 and 1983; Norden Distinguished Teaching Award in 1983; American Association of Extension Veterinarians’ Veterinarian-of-the-Year Award in 1985; Michigan Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service to Michigan Agriculture Award in 1993; a Michigan Department of Agriculture’s commendation in 1995; and MSUCVM Distinguished Faculty Award in 1999. In 1983, the David J. Ellis Professorship in Large Animal Clinic Sciences was established at MSU.
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Dr. Ellis served as a captain in the Army. His daughter and son survive him. Memorials may be made to Huntington’s Disease Society of America Inc., Mid-Michigan Chapter, 4000 N. Michigan Road, Dimondale, MI 48821; David James Ellis Scholarship Fund, c/o Michigan State University, University Development, 4700 S. Hagadorn Road, Suite 220, East Lansing, MI 48823; Edgewood United Church, 469 N. Hagadorn, Lansing, MI 48906; or Sparrow Foundation, Hospice Services, 1322 E. Michigan Ave., P.O. Box 30480, Lansing, MI 48909.
Paul Handler
Dr. Handler (COR ’42), 85, West Palm Beach, Fla., died Dec. 26, 2005. He practiced at Middletown Veterinary Hospital in Middletown, Conn., for more than 40 years. Dr. Handler was a member of the Connecticut VMA. His three daughters and a son survive him. Memorials may be made to Congregational Adath Israel Synagogue, P.O. Box 337, Middletown, CT 06457; or Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 39, Ithaca, NY 14853.
Glen R. Hendry
Dr. Hendry (ONT ’51), 84, Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada, died July 13, 2005. Prior to retirement in 1985, he worked for the Canadian federal government in Ontario, primarily in regulatory medicine. Dr. Hendry is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and two sons.
Samuel D. Holland
Dr. Holland (AUB ’75), 58, Ocala, Fla., died Nov. 18, 2005. He was the founder of Ocala Square Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Holland’s wife, Linda, survives him. Memorials may be made to the Ocala Civic Theater, 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, FL 34470; or Maricamp Road Church of Christ Building Fund, 2750 S.E. Maricamp Road, Ocala, FL 34471.
Nolan W. Klepinger
Dr. Klepinger (OSU ’50), 83, Green Lake, Wis., died Jan. 13, 2006. He was in mixed practice in the Berlin, Wis., area for more than 35 years, with a special interest in equine medicine. From 1956-1962, Dr. Klepinger served as a Department of Agriculture veterinarian in Richfield, Utah. He was a member of the Wisconsin VMA and Northeastern Wisconsin VMA.
A World War II veteran, Dr. Klepinger served in the Air Force, attaining the rank of captain. He received the Distinguished Service Medal and Flying Cross. Dr. Klepinger’s wife, Elnora, and a son survive him. His son, Dr. Wayne Klepinger (OSU ’72), is a veterinarian in Berlin. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, GA 30368; or Veterans Foundation of Berlin Inc., Berlin, WI 54923.
Eugene L. Rizek
Dr. Rizek (KSU ’55), 75, Hebron, Neb., died Dec. 10, 2005. From 1959 until retirement in 1995, he practiced at Valley View Animal Clinic in Hebron. Prior to that, Dr. Rizek practiced at Seminole Animal Clinic in Seminole, Okla. He served in the Army from 1956-1958, attaining the rank of 2nd lieutenant. Dr. Rizek is survived by his wife, Eleanor, two sons; and three daughters. His granddaughter, Dr. Rachel Fleischacker (KSU ’05), is a veterinarian in Linn Creek, Mo.
Memorials may be made to Thayer County Health Services, 120 Park Ave., Hebron, NE 68370; Hebron Country Club, RR 2, Hebron, NE 68370; Hebron Volunteer Fire Department, 5 & Jefferson, Hebron, NE 68370; or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 436 N. 3rd St., Hebron, NE 68370.
Jacqueline Rost
Dr. Rost (TEX ’91), 48, Baltimore, died Dec. 9, 2005. She practiced at Westview Animal Hospital in Catonsville, Md., for the past four years. Earlier in her career, Dr. Rost worked at veterinary clinics in Towson, Rosedale, Columbia, and Locust Point, all in Maryland. Her husband, Robert Meisenhelder, survives her. Memorials may be made to Gilchrist Hospice (Attention: Memorial Contributions), 6601 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21237; or Weinburg Cancer Institute at Franklin Square, Baltimore, MD 21237.
Kathleen M. Sande
Dr. Sande (WSU ’97), 37, Chattaroy, Wash., died July 9, 2005. She practiced at North Division Animal Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. Dr. Sande was a member of the Washington State VMA. Her husband, B.J., and two daughters survive her. Dr. Sande’s father-in-law, Dr. Ronald D. Sande (WSU ’66), is a veterinarian in Pullman, Wash.
Douglas Slatter
Dr. Slatter (QLD ’70), 57, La Habra, Calif., died Sept. 11, 2005. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, he practiced veterinary ophthalmology in La Habra and Australia. During his career, Dr. Slatter also served as associate professor of ophthalmology and surgery at Murdoch University in Western Australia; was a visiting professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Scheie Eye Institute; and served as adjunct professor of veterinary ophthalmology at the Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton.
He was a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and recognized by the European College of Veterinary Surgeons. Dr. Slatter was also a fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and a member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. He authored “Fundamentals of Veterinary Ophthalmology” and “Textbook of Veterinary Surgery.”
Dr. Slatter’s wife was the late Dr. Elizabeth D. Chambers (see obituary). His two daughters survive him.
D. Benton Williams
Dr. Williams (LSU ’90), 44, Greenwood, Wis., died Dec. 18, 2005. He practiced large animal medicine, focusing on dairy cows, at Loyal Veterinary Service in Loyal, Wis., since 1992. Earlier in his career, Dr. Williams was in mixed practice in Little Falls, Minn. He was a member of the Wisconsin VMA and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
Dr. Williams’ wife, Paula, and two sons survive him. Memorials may be made to Heifer Project International, P.O. Box 727, Little Rock, AR 72203; or University of Wisconsin-Madison Hospital and Clinics, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (in memory of Benton Williams), 600 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53792.