Thomas H. Howard, DVM, PhD

Tom Howard died unexpectedly on Saturday, February 14 while working with a newborn Angus calf, doing what he loved best.  Tom was born in Princeton, IN on May 16, 1945, the son of Thomas H. and Margaret L. (Birmingham) Howard.  He graduated from Princeton High School and went on to earn his undergraduate degree and DVM at Purdue University in 1969.  After two years’ residency and internship, he moved to the Phoenix area where he had a large dairy herd health practice.  In 1974 he became a resident veterinarian at American Breeders Service in DeForest, WI.  A year later he transferred to ABS Colorado and concurrently began graduate studies at Colorado State University.  Tom met and married his wife of 38 years, Susan Derbyshire in Fort Collins, CO in 1976.  He earned his PhD in 1981 and returned to ABS DeForest.  In 1991, Tom left ABS and started his own consulting business as an internationally recognized expert in bovine reproduction.  He also served as the Wisconsin State Veterinarian and worked in biotechnology prior to his retirement in 2007.  Tom was an active member of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association; he received the President’s Award in 1996 and 2008, was named Veterinarian of the Year in 2008, and received a Meritorious Service Award in 2014.  He also served as the organization’s treasurer for many years, and worked tirelessly on several committees dedicated to improving food safety and quality, recently resulting in formation of the WVMA Food Armor™ program..  He enjoyed retired life where his days usually started and ended in his favorite place, at his home in rural Poynette with his family and the herd of Angus cows they have developed.  His commitment to the Angus breed lives on in those cows and in the individuals that he mentored throughout the U.S. and abroad.  He was a terrific father who took joy in watching his children succeed athletically, scholastically, and professionally.  His honesty, integrity, and above all, his generosity made him a friend valued by many people in his community and around the world.  A close friend describes him as “a powerful but always quiet and unassuming source of wisdom and knowledge.”  Tom is survived by his wife Susan, children Ellen and Scott, brother Steve, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother David.  The family is planning a memorial celebration to be held in the spring.  Memorial donations may be made in his name to the WVMA Foundation (http://wvma.org), where they will be used for veterinary education and the Food Armor™ program.