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Donald A. Schmidt, DVM, ’50 MS, PhD

Donald A. Schmidt, DVM, ’50 MS, PhD, Columbia, Mo., died December 29 at 96. Schmidt received a master of science degree in veterinary pathology from the University of Minnesota while on a fellowship with the Mayo Clinic in 1950. In the same year, he accepted a position as veterinarian for the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, where he was the first full-time veterinarian employed by the zoo. In 1953, he accepted the position of assistant professor in veterinary pathology at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. He became certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 1959. He completed a PhD degree in veterinary pathology from Michigan State University in 1961, and in 1966, he accepted a position as professor of veterinary pathology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri–Columbia. Schmidt became one of nine who successfully passed the first national certifying examination of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in veterinary clinical pathology in 1972. He retired in 1992 as professor emeritus and continued working part-time for the pathology department until he was 80 years old. During his teaching career, Schmidt received the Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teaching Award four times. In 2005, Schmidt was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology. He is survived by 3 children, 16 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Donald A. Schmidt, DVM, ’50 MS, PhD