In Memoriam

Dr. Ann Marie Garvey, 46, of Norwalk, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, November 1, 2022 (All Saints' Day) at Every Step Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines, Iowa, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Ann Marie Peters was born on March 11, 1976, in Jefferson, Iowa, the daughter of Frank and Judy Peters. She graduated from Webster City High School in 1994. Ann went on to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1998 and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames, Iowa, in 2002.

She earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Iowa's practicing veterinarian program in 2003. She began her career as an agriculture specialist and state exercise training officer for the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division. On December 5, 2003, she married Brandon Garvey at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Webster City, Iowa. She went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense) from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, in 2006. She started her dream job with the Iowa Department of Public Health as the State of Iowa Public Health Veterinarian in 2008. She later took on additional roles as Deputy State Epidemiologist and Bureau Chief for the Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology (CADE). She served as the President of the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians from 2018 to 2019.

Ann received numerous awards and recognitions of achievement in her career. She continued her relationship with the University of Iowa College of Public Health, serving as a preceptor for students, and was a guest lecturer in zoonotic disease and intro to public health classes.

To know Ann was to love her. She had the biggest heart and was the kindest, most genuine person you could know. She could make everyone she came into contact with feel welcome and important. Ann didn't shy away from any opportunity for adventure or fun. She leaves her friends with many fond memories. Ann loved to travel and was the expert vacation planner for her own family and many friends. She loved big dogs, especially her Newfoundlands over the years, and she helped many friends find their own dogs.

Ann was a very accomplished professional, an amazing colleague and friend, but her greatest achievement was her family. Her daughters, Ava Noel and Lillian Sylvia, were her pride and joy. She taught them kindness, humility, and strength by example. She attended every activity she could over the years, and when she couldn't, she lined up family or friends to make sure someone was there in her place to cheer them on. Even when she was too weak to get out of a vehicle, you could find her at her girls' softball games last summer. Ann is preceded in death by her father, Frank Peters, and her beloved cousin, Sgt. Will Moden. She will forever watch over her husband Brandon and cherished daughters Ava and Lillian, mother Judy Peters, sister Jennifer (Christopher) Groos, niece Hannah Groos and nephew Henry Groos, in-laws Roger and LuAnn Garvey, brother-in-law Deacon (Anne) Garvey, nieces Kenzie (Austin) Meyers, Shaylor Garvey, Eastyn Garvey, brother-in-law Aamon Garvey, nieces Avery Garvey, Brinley Garvey, Cassia Garvey, and many more beloved extended family members.

The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) is mourning the untimely passing of Dr. William B. Johnston, State Public Health Veterinarian with the Alabama Department of Public Health. He was 56 years old. Bill had been dealing with a diagnosis of esophageal cancer since the beginning of the year with his typical courage, humor, and support for those around him.

Bill was the current President of NASPHV, and was a wonderful, inspirational leader to our organization. Bill served NASPHV in just about every possible capacity, as President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, committee member for the annual "Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control", and committee member and previous Chair of the "Compendium of Measures to Control Chlamydophila psittaci (formerly Chlamydia psittaci) Infection Among Humans (Psittacosis) and Pet Birds".

Those of us in NASPHV just loved working with Bill. Every contact by phone, email, or in person was a pleasure. Bill was one of those people who lit up a room when he entered--he was always so warm and full of life. He was a great example to new and old public health practitioners alike, on how to balance science with policy, and how to work with others to get things done. He was incredibly smart and insightful on issues, very passionate about protecting public health, but he was one of those special people who knew how to persuade others to his point of view with his southern charm. Whenever you saw him, he was ready with a grin and a hug. Like his smile, the twinkle in his eye, and his hugs, we'll remember his voice, like smooth warm syrup, that just warmed you up inside. Even after he became ill, he was still helping and encouraging others, ending notes with "You're my hero!" or "You're the Greatest!" Of course, his colleagues feel those accolades really apply to him.

Bill began his career in science early as a laboratory assistant at Gadsden State Junior College and Auburn University. From Auburn, he received his B.S. degree and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1973. He began 7 years of private veterinary practice in Alabama, while also serving as a college instructor and a county rabies inspector. His first experience with epidemiology was as a USDA APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer (1980-1985) and the Alabama Department of Agriculture as an Animal Industry Veterinarian (1985-1993). He also served for 4 years as a consultant/inspector for the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. He joined the Alabama Dept. of Public Health in 1993. In that position, he was one of the team of national leaders working on planning efforts to control raccoon rabies with oral rabies vaccination. He also coordinated and published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1996 a national survey of rabies control procedures.

Bill was an active participant in organized veterinary medicine/public health groups at the local, state, and national levels. In addition to being NASPHV President, he was recently the President of the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association. Bill was an outstanding liaison between NASPHV and the American Veterinary Medical Association, a frequent moderator and speaker at AVMA meetings, and served as the NASPHV representative at the annual AVMA House of Delegates meeting. Bill was board certified in Preventive Medicine and served on the ACVPM Examination Committee.

Bill was an incredibly well-rounded person. He knew how to experience the joy in life every day. Whenever we had a meeting, he was always eager to explore the new place, go out to dinner with colleagues, and bring his wife Lynette along to share the experience whenever possible. Bill is survived by his wife, Lynette, two children, and three grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

Dr. Mira Leslie, of Seattle, Washington, died on March 10, 2017, after a brief illness. Born December 8, 1955, she was 61 years old.

Mira was a world traveler, having lived all over the United States, Canada, London, Mexico and India. She was a Public Health Veterinarian, graduating from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. In addition to serving as the Public Health Veterinarian in Arizona and Washington, and working for the Province of British Columbia, Canada, Mira was chairperson of the Rabies Compendium and a long time member of the National Association of Public Health Veterinarians.

Mira was a life-long advocate for social justice and active in the peace movement, Ground Zero Anti-Nuclear Movement and the Freedom Project-Seattle prison programs, as well as numerous other organizations. She was inspired to fight social injustice and work for world peace by her late father, Dr. Charles Leslie. Mira will be missed by her mother Zelda, brothers Mario and Sam, Sister-in-Law Linda, nephews Max, Liam, and Tanner, her niece Grace, and family members in Italy, in addition to many loving friends and colleagues.

Contributions in Mira's honor may be made to organizations she supported, including the ACLU, NAACP, Doctors Without Borders, Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Center for Biological Diversity. She touched many people and leaves behind a legacy to be admired. She made a difference.

Dr. John W. Poe, 61, Midway, Kentucky State Public Health Veterinarian and Central Kentucky equine veterinarian, died September 25, 2016 in Lexington, KY.

Dr. Poe was born March 22, 1955 in Maysville, KY to Emmitt and Wanda "Jane" Case Poe. He is survived by his parents and his daughter, Tara Lynn Poe Sienkiewicz (John P. Sienkiewicz, Sr.), Lexington, KY; brother Richard T. (Diane) Poe, Crestwood, KY; and sister Kathryn Poe (Peter) Egan, Maysville, KY. Dr. Poe is also survived by two grandchildren John Paul "Jack" Sienkiewicz, Jr. and Mary Alice Sienkiewicz, along with his chihuahua, Markie.

He is preceded in death by his faithful, 18-year companion, Charlie Dog, and chihuahua Abby Poe, who died contemporaneously and will join him in burial.

Dr. Poe had a long and illustrious career, despite his young age. He was an alumnus of the University of Kentucky, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, and University of Kentucky College of Public Health. He began private practice at Harrison Veterinary Clinic in Cynthiana, KY in 1981 and spent 10 years with Arnold & Sautter, P.S.C. in Lexington where he enjoyed notable clients such as Hamburg Place. In 1991, he became the Director of Veterinary Services at Payson Stud, Lexington, KY before moving to the helm at Adena Springs in Versailles, KY. He worked for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), enforcing the Horse Protection Act. He inspected horse shows, exhibitions, and zoos to ensure humane and proper treatment of animals. In 2001, he was dispatched to the British Government to combat Foot and Mouth Disease in Leeds, North Yorkshire, England. His most recent position has been at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services as Kentucky's Public Health Veterinarian, where he focused on epidemiology and public health issues at the intersection of animal and health diseases (zoonoses), most prominently West Nile, Ebola, Avian Influenza, and Zika virus. He was heavily involved in state and public health preparedness actions, including Southern Agriculture & Animal Disaster Response Alliance (SAADRA), the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), and the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV), among others.

Dr. Poe served as Past President of the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners (KAEP), on the board of the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA), and as leadership delegate of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). He chaired the Woodford County UK Agriculture Extension Board and is a lifetime member of the Kentucky Cattleman's Association. Dr. Poe was well respected and admired by his colleagues and will be remembered as giving 110% to everything, including his family.