In Memoriam


Celebrating the lives and contributions to the profession of veterinary medicine made by the members of the Auburn Vet Med alumni family…

1950s 

Dr. Jordan Dorman Walker, Sr., ’51, DVM, of Montgomery, Alabama, passed June 25, 2024. Following his Auburn graduation, he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. After his military service, he founded and operated Conveyor Machinery, Inc., in Montgomery, which manufactured machinery for sawmills. Survivors include five children, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Dr. Henry E. Childers, Jr., ’54, DVM, of Warwick, Rhode Island, passed April 15, 2024. After earning his Auburn DVM, he joined the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. He later founded Cranston Animal Hospital in Cranston, Rhode Island, before serving as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, where he became only the second veterinarian to serve as both president of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association. A Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, he served as a member of their Council of Regents and was chairman of their Continuing Education Committee. In addition to serving two terms as president of the Rhode Island VMA, he served as its secretary and treasurer, chaired the Continuing Education Committee for 15 years, and was editor of the RIVMA newsletter. He was also president of the New England VMA and chaired the Rhode Island Veterinary Board of Examiners. His honors include the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine Childers Award — an annual award established in honor of Dr. Childers for sustained and extraordinary contributions to the education of Tufts veterinary students; the Auburn CVM Distinguished Service Award; the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association’s Distinguished Service Award and many others. Survivors include his wife, Pat, three children, and six grandchildren.

Dr. Joseph D. “Joe” Tipton ’57, DVM, of Blountsville, Alabama, passed July 25, 2024. After earning his Auburn DVM, he practiced in Blountsville for many years. Survivors include a host of family and friends.

1960s 

Dr. David William Howard, III, ’62, DVM, of Clarksville, Tennessee, passed August 9, 2024. He attended the University of Tennessee before earning his DVM at Auburn. After graduation, he opened the Animal Hospital in Clarksville, where he practiced throughout his career. Survivors include his wife, Kay, four children, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Dr. Alan Dale Cameron ’67, DVM, of Minden, Louisiana, passed July 26, 2024. After joining the U.S. Army Reserve, he attended Louisiana Tech University before earning his Auburn DVM. Later he founded Cameron Veterinary Hospital, where he practiced for more than 50 years. Survivors include his wife, Sharon, three children, five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, a step-grandchild and a sister.

Dr. John Willmott Backer, Sr., ’69, DVM, of Lexington, Kentucky, passed May 22, 2024. He attended Transylvania University before earning his Auburn DVM. Survivors include three children, six grandchildren and a brother.

Dr. Richard Patrick McGivaren ’69, DVM, of Rome, Georgia, passed April 17, 2024. He attended Mississippi State University before earning his Auburn DVM. After graduation, he was commissioned into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam as a veterinarian to military bomb-detection dogs. After his service, he moved to Rome, where he later purchased Glenwood Veterinary Clinic and operated the practice for 31 years. Survivors include two children and three grandchildren.

1970s

Dr. George E. Lewis, Jr., ’70, DVM, PhD, of Frederick, Maryland, passed September 22, 2024. He attended the University of Florida before being commissioned into the U.S. Army. He later earned his Auburn DVM and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Illinois. Colonel Lewis commanded the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for seven years before serving as both the Executive Assistant to the Assistant Surgeon General for Medical Research and Development and the Army Surgeon General’s Liaison to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research, Development and Acquisition. He was Senior Medical Biological Warfare Defense Expert in the Pentagon during Operations Desert Shield and Storm as well as the consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Veterinary microbiology, physiology, pharmacology and toxicology. Later, he served as aU.S. Delegate to the 1991 United Nations Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference and the following year became Program Manager for Combat Medical Systems and commander of the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, before retiring with 30 years of service in the Army. Following his Army career, he served as an independent consultant for General Dynamics Corporation and as the facilitator for the U.S. Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center’s Product Line Review process. He also served as a consultant for the Medical Red Team, and as a member of the Federal Health Care Executive Institute. A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, Dr. Lewis was recognized by the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States with the James A. McCallam Award for his outstanding accomplishments in the field of medicine and health. He was also a recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution National Medal of Honor and was twice awarded the DAR Historical Preservation Medal. Survivors include his wife, Pamela, a daughter, a granddaughter, three great-grandchildren and two sisters.

Dr. Murli M. Prasad ’70, DVM, of Bayville, New Jersey, passedMay 21, 2024. He attended West Virginia University before earning his Auburn DVM, and later earned PhDs at Cambridge University, England, and Rutgers University. He had a long career with the USDA before retiring as Director in 2010. Afterwards, he furthered his career as an independent consultant and advisor to the Food Safety Division, including the Regulatory Division, Pathogen Reduction and Food Safety Quality Management. Survivors include two children and five grandchildren.

Dr. Jerry C. Lawrence ’71, DVM, of Tallahassee, Florida, passed June 21, 2024. He attended the University of Florida before earning his Auburn DVM, then began his career as a veterinarian in Tallahassee before establishing the Lawrence Animal Hospital in Quincy, Florida, where he dedicated many years to the care and well-being of animals. Survivors include his wife, Michele Hope, three children and four grandchildren.

Dr. Dean B. Martin ’71, DVM, of Collierville, Tennessee, passed September 4, 2024. He attended Belmont University before earning his Auburn DVM. Following his graduation, he practiced in Memphis for 47 years. Survivors include his wife, Sherrie, two children, four grandchildren and a sister.

Dr. William Davis Fishback, Jr. ’73,  DVM, of Versailles, Kentucky, passed July 16, 2024. After earning his Auburn DVM, he began his career at Woodford Veterinary Clinic before later moving to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. He remained at Hagyard for the remainder of his career, serving as president for more than a decade. He and his father also bred stakes-winning Thoroughbreds and Angus cattle at their family farm, Glen Airy, in Versailles. Fishback served many boards and organizations throughout his life, including the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, Woodford Humane Society, Auburn CVM, AVMA Council on Education, American Association of Equine Practitioners, Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and Thoroughbred Club of America. Survivors include two daughters, three grandchildren and a sister.

Dr. John Robert Fuller ’74, DVM, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, passed May 22, 2024. He attended Mississippi State University before earning his Auburn DVM. Following graduation, he practiced at Fuller Animal Hospital for more than 30 years before beginning a 13-year career with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Survivors include his wife, Bettye, three daughters, two stepchildren, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Dr. Robert Michael Irelan ’74, DVM, of Lakeland, Florida, passed June 4, 2024. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and several years of his early childhood were spent in Europe, by which time he spoke four languages. He attended the University of Florida before completing his Auburn DVM. During the Vietnam War he was a second lieutenant working solely with amputees; and, after the war, he became a professor of microbiology at Louisiana State University. Later, he moved to Sanford, Florida, where he was part owner of a zoo and nightclub called Club Iguana and also operated a veterinary practice as well as being part owner of an emergency clinic in Lakeland. He also did veterinary work for the Miami Serpentarium. Survivors include his wife, Kimberly, four daughters, a stepdaughter, 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Dr. W. Lamar Parmer ’75, DVM, of Hamilton, Georgia, passed May 8, 2024. He served in the U.S. Army before earning his Auburn DVM. Later, he became a partner in Glass Veterinary Clinic in Columbus before spending most of his 30-year career at St. Francis Veterinary Clinic. Survivors include his wife, Charlotte, four children, five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a sister.

Dr. Tom F. Harbin, Jr., ’79, DVM, of Pike Road, Alabama, passed July 4, 2024. He spent 35 years running Animal Health Clinic in Manchester, Tennessee, before returning to Alabama, where he served clients and mentored staff at Golden Animal Hospital and, most recently, Partners for Pets Veterinary Clinic. He had a special interest in snakes and reptiles and was a featured lecturer at the Auburn CVM on reptile husbandry, reproduction and medicine. He also operated Tom Harbin Reptiles, specializing in ball pythons along with other reptiles. Survivors include his wife, Sarah, two children, two grandchildren and a brother.

1980s

Dr. John Hadden Eubank ’80, DVM, of Mount Sterling, Kentucky, passed July 26, 2024. He attended the University of Kentucky before earning his DVM at Auburn. He later began his practice at Spencer Creek Veterinary Clinic in Mount Sterling, where he spent the remainder of his career. Survivors include a sister.

Dr. David Wayne Baston ’82, DVM, of Tompkinsville, Kentucky, passed June 18, 2024. He attended the University of Kentucky before earning his Auburn DVM. Following graduation, he practiced at Tri-County Veterinary Services for almost 40 years. Survivors include his wife, Tamara, three children, six grandchildren and a sister.

1990s

Dr. Mark D. Mudd ’98, DVM, of Flemington, Georgia, passed May 17, 2024. He attended Western Kentucky University before earning his Auburn DVM. He later served as a captain in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps before opening Flemington Veterinary Clinic, where he practiced until his death. Survivors include his husband, Douglas, three sisters and his father.