1950s
Larry Soma, V’57, and longtime colleague Charlie Short, DVM, published “Beginnings of a Specialty: The Creation of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia” in the June 2020 issue of Veterinary Heritage, Bulletin of the American Veterinary Historical Society.
1980s
David Galligan, V’81, received the University’s Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Abby Maxon Sage, V’87, MS, DACVIM, Jennifer Fuhrman LaPlume, V’94, and Anna Russau, V’03, received the 2020 Virginia Veterinary Service Award for their work in the formation and management of the Virginia Veterinary Equine Welfare Resource (VVEWR). They created VVEWR in response to the need for improved equine welfare resources in Virginia. Currently, Sage is a staff veterinarian with the Office of Veterinary Services in the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. LaPlume and Russau own and operate solo equine ambulatory practices— Ragged Mountain Equine Services and Warrantor Horse Works, respectively—in central Virginia.
1990s
Donna Dambach V’90, Senior Vice President of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Sana Biotechnology, is now a member of the Board of Trustees at Morris Animal Foundation. Morris Animal Foundation, headquartered in Denver, is one of the largest nonprofit foundations in the world dedicated to funding studies to improve and protect the health of companion animals and wildlife.
2000s
Surell Levine, V’09, developed a cat wrap that acts like a baby swaddle, applying uniform constant pressure to calm the animal, and has access points for common vet procedures, such as X-rays, ultrasounds, vaccines, and more. She has been selling the Calm & Cozy Cat Wrap for a few months and is getting great feedback from customers and vets across the country.
2010s
Kathryn Bach, V’13, joined the faculty at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in July. She will be teaching in the pre-clinical curriculum and helping organize the Summer Dairy Institute, an advanced training program for prospective dairy veterinarians.
Erin Luley V’14, married Jon Hartzler in State College, Pennsylvania, on October 26, 2019. Several Penn Vet alumni attended, including Lester Griel, V’65, Allie Neely, V’14, Alex Ciuffitelli-Dzema, V’14, and Ben Ouyang, V’14.
In Remembrance
1940s
Robert Leighton, V’41, passed away on January 22. He served two years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps during World War II. From 1944 to 1956, Leighton was chief of surgery at what is now the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Angell Animal Medical Center–Western New England in Springfield, Massachusetts. He then moved to New York City to be chief of surgery at what is now the Animal Medical Center. An innovative surgeon, Leighton designed surgical instruments and orthopedic implants fabricated by his father, a machinist, including the Leighton shuttle pin for stabilizing distal ulnar fractures. In 1965, Leighton joined the veterinary faculty at UC-Davis. He was instrumental in establishing the American College of Veterinary Surgeons as a charter member that same year. He taught veterinary surgery and provided orthopedic surgical care at UC-Davis until his retirement as a professor emeritus in 1982.
Roy DeBenneville Bertolet, V’46, passed away on April 14. He worked at Dr. Rau’s veterinary office right out of school, then opened his Somerton Veterinary Hospital, where he cared for many beloved pets until his retirement in 1984. He was a retired colonel in the U.S. Army.
1950s
Sidney Flaxman, V’52, passed away on April 27. A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, Flaxman practiced large and small animal medicine for over 48 years, first in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and then in the Plymouth Meeting area.
Paul Husted, V’53, passed away on January 3. Husted had a long career with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Veterinary Service. He was commissioned first lieutenant 1954 and retired with rank of colonel in 1975. His assignments included Veterinary Service, USAF Hospital, Wiesbaden, Germany; Chief of Veterinary Services, USAF Hospital, Loring Air Force Base, Maine; Chief of Veterinary Services, Military Working Dog Procurement and Training Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; and Chief of Veterinary Services, USAF Hospital, Clark Air Base, Philippines. Husted received three Air Force commendation medals and the Legion of Merit. After his military service, Husted worked at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Clinical Sciences. He did a residency in Small Animal Medicine and then became Assistant Professor, Administrative Head of Small Animal Medicine Service, working in that capacity until 1989.
Joseph Slick, V’53, passed away on April 26. A veteran of World War II, he served as a photographer and at one point was the private photographer for General Dwight D. Eisenhower during his visit to Panama. Slick was honorably discharged on September 20, 1946. In 1954, he opened Pennridge Veterinary Hospital for large and small animals in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, where he would practice for 57 years. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association and later served as its president. He was the founding president of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Historical Society.
George Orthey, V’58, passed away in August. Orthey served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Panama Canal zone, where he operated an Army jungle animal zoo. Subsequent stations included Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Texas, Hawaii, South Korea, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. He was awarded the Legion of Merit in 1982. He retired as a full colonel from the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps in 1982. Orthey was a professional luthier who hand-crafted his own instruments. A renowned expert on autoharps, he created harps for such legends as June Carter Cash and held an annual gathering of autoharp enthusiasts on his farm.
Frederick Rude, V’58, passed away on April 23. He practiced veterinary medicine in the Kensington section of Philadelphia for more than 50 years at his veterinary clinic, Dr. Rude’s Animal Hospital. He was named Veterinarian of the Year and was featured in a radio call-in program about pet health. He was instrumental in bridging the gap between practicing veterinarians and the academicians at Penn. He welcomed veterinarians from the University to moonlight at his practice as well as aspiring veterinarians at all levels to gain experience there. He invited veterinary students to his home and established a radiology continuing education group for practicing veterinarians. While his practice was primarily small animals, he treated the occasional elephant when the circus came to town. Rude was president of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association and an officer in the American Animal Hospital Association.
1960s
Paul M. Herr, V’60, passed away on July 21. After serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, he was a large animal veterinarian for 40 years, working with Salisbury Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and surrounding communities at Gap Veterinary Associates.
L. N. Dougherty, V’62, passed away on June 27. Prior to vet school, he served in the U.S. Army Infantry in Korea and was honorably discharged with the rank of technical sergeant. Upon his return from Korea, he began teaching agricultural education at Elkland High School. Dougherty began his veterinary career in Oxford, Pennsylvania, focusing on the care of dairy herds. In 1971, he established Crest View Animal Clinic in New London, serving large and small animals until his retirement in 1997. In 1984, he was honored with the Centennial Award of Merit from the School.
Jan Bergeron, V’66, passed away on March 8.
Sarah Anne Bingel, V’67, passed away on May 8. A renowned veterinarian and researcher, she will be lovingly remembered for her strong will, her dedication to animals, and her love for her family. Following graduation, she worked in private practice and for the Bide-A-Wee Association in New York until 1975. She entered the program for veterinary pathology in the Department of Comparative Medicine at the Washington State University and received a PhD in 1981. From 1981 to 1990 she served as a research associate and Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. From 1990 until her retirement in 2008 she worked as a veterinary pathologist in the Departments of Comparative Medicine and Pathology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She volunteered for many years as a trained den leader for the Boy Scouts of America. She competed in agility competitions with her border collies; one of them was certified by the Alliance for Therapy Dogs, and they volunteered at children’s charities in Hendersonville, North Carolina, including St. Gerard House, which treated children with autism, and Helping Hands Development Center, which treated children with various disabilities. Bingel is survived by her two sons, two granddaughters, and a sister. Donations may be made to the World Wildlife Fund in her name.
John L. Thomas, V’69, passed away on June 7. He was the owner and operator of the Mount Nittany Veterinary Hospital until his semi-retirement in 2009. He helped establish and worked for the Allegheny Spay and Neuter Clinic/Animal Welfare Council of the Alleghenies of Woodland.
1970s
Glenn Brewer, V’73, passed away on July 2. He opened his veterinary practice, Airport Animal Hospital, in Warwick, Rhode Island, during the blizzard of 1978, and continued there through January 2017.
Robert Hull, V’73, passed away on August 14. He owned and operated the Middle Road Animal Clinic in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, for over 40 years.
George Farnbach, V’74, passed away on April 26. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and worked for over 20 years as a senior web developer at Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia. He earned VMD and PhD degrees from Penn in neurology and molecular biology.
Emily Walder, V’77, passed away on December 22, 2019.
2000s
Keith Zimmerman, V’03, passed away on July 13 after a yearlong illness. His life was filled with dairy cows, children, hard work, and the desire to do right and support justice.
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