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  • Larry P. Traynor, ’65 DVM, River Falls, Wis., died on July 4 at 79. Upon completing his studies at the University of Minnesota, he began practicing veterinary medicine the same year in Ellsworth, Wis. Traynor’s practice served the greater Ellsworth and surrounding areas until his retirement in 2001. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; his sister; four children; and four great-grandchildren.

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Robert Steinkraus Jr., ’53 DVM, Milwaukee, Wis., died on May 15 at 90. He began his career of caring for animals as a "kennel boy" at a local animal hospital. Steinkraus went on to co-found the Wauwatosa Veterinary Clinic in Wauwatosa, Wis. He also served as chair of the Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board from 1975 to 1980. He is survived by his four children, seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • William Pritchard, ’53 PhD, Davis, Calif., died on October 18 at 95. He served as dean of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine for 20 years from 1962 to 1982. He participated in international consulting for agricultural research and development programs for the Rockefeller Foundation. He was awarded the University of Minnesota Outstanding Award in 1976.

     

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Kakambi V. Nagaraja, ’80 DVM, St. Paul, died on July 22 at 76. Nagaraja worked for the University of Minnesota from 1974 to 2020, most recently serving as a professor in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. His research involved the study of food safety, including bacterial and viral diseases of poultry.

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    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Earl “Hunt” McCauley, ’66 DVM, Bozeman, Mont., died on June 11, 2018, at 84. He followed his father’s footsteps to become a veterinarian after realizing he did not want to continue engineering. Hunt lectured at the University of Minnesota in large animal medicine and other topics. Later on he became a consultant for the World Bank and traveled the world to assess and investigate livestock. He is survived by his wife, Sue Claypole McCauley; two children; four grandchildren; and his sister.

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Bart Fischer, ’94 DVM, Valley City, N.D., died on September 15 at 52. Following graduation from the University of Minnesota, he moved to Valley City to work at the Valley City Veterinary Hospital, where he would later become a partner and eventually owner of the clinic. Fischer is survived by his wife, Jennifer; two children; a sister; a brother; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Charles Extrand, ’59 DVM, Brainerd, Minn., died on June 23 at 89. Upon graduating high school, he enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard and spent three years serving in the U.S. Army. Exstrand had multiple careers, including two as a veterinarian—retiring first at 62 and then again at 80. He remained active in the National Guard his entire life, retiring in 1990 with the rank of colonel. Exstrand is survived by his wife Norma Jean; his sister, Rae Anne; three children; and four grandchildren.

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Geraldine Elliston, ’64 DVM, Amarillo, Texas, died on June 28 at 73. Elliston worked for the USDA in Ames, Iowa; for Bio-Tec and Jensen-Salsbery Laboratories in Kansas City, Mo.; and as a relief veterinarian in Minneapolis, the Kansas City area, Dallas, and Amarillo before opening her own practice, Evening Pet Clinic in Amarillo in 1985. Elliston closed her practice and retired in 1999. She is survived by her son, five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

    Issue: Fall 2020
  • Bryce Cunningham, ’58 DVM, North Liberty, Iowa, died on May 15 at 87. Cunningham explored veterinary medicine at the University of Minnesota, but the hands-on experience of birthing a calf shifted his focus to biochemistry. Cunningham taught biochemistry for 23 at Kansas State University. In addition to his professorship, Cunningham subcontracted to do independent research for pharmaceutical firms. He went on to found Bio-Research Products Inc., which he sold upon his retirement in 2013.

    Issue: Fall 2020